Your Name
by lickitysplit
Summary: Princess Elizabeth yearns for a life free of the shackles of royal duty; Meliodas, Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins, juggles running a tavern while seeking a way to stop an enemy in Britannia. When they find themselves linked in a bizarre way, they must start a journey to find one another, as more than distance seeks to keep them apart. Now Complete!
1. When I Wake Up

**Summary:** Princess Elizabeth yearns for a life free of the shackles of royal duty; Meliodas, Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins, juggles running a tavern while seeking a way to stop an enemy in Britannia. When they find themselves linked in a bizarre way, they must start a journey to find one another, as more than distance seeks to keep them apart.

 **A/N:** Before I give remarks, I want to let you all know this is **my 50th published work on FFNet**! I'm so excited about this milestone, and am beyond proud to mark this special occasion with this story, that has become incredibly dear to my heart.

This fic is an AU that is based on the film _Kimi No Na Wa/Your Name_. As soon as I watched it, I knew it would make an amazing parallel for NNT. If you have never seen the film, I encourage you to do so! (Or wait if you want to not be spoiled for this fic.) And if you _have_ seen the movie, I hope you will find that I was able to bring some of the magic to this story. There are some changes, of course, but I tried to remain as true to the spirit of the film and to the work of Makoto Shinkai as I could.

This story would not have happened without the guidance, support, and encouragement of **TheGreatLlamaFish**. We discussed this AU in depth for days before finally deciding to make this happen. She read every word I wrote as well as created the artwork for this story, and when I tell you this was months of dedication and tears I'm not kidding. Every single work she sent me took my breath away, and I am so humbled by her incredible talent. She is going by TheGoddessElizabeth at Tumblr for now, so please go there to see a full resolution of the picture. There will be another one coming soon as well that I cannot wait for her to share with all of you.

My dear friend, your help and brainstorming and friendship made this work possible. I would kiss your beautiful brain if I could, and I cannot tell you how much it means to me to be able to collaborate with you _again_ on something so meaningful. This fic is yours as much as it is mine, and I'm very grateful.

To the readers, please enjoy! I will be updating this every Friday from now on. As always, your comments, thoughts, and feedback are appreciated and encouraged, no matter how large or small.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: When I Wake Up**

 _The time is finally here;  
everything till yesterday was a prologue to the prologue_

* * *

Two souls meet in the dark. They have seen each other before, their eyes wide with recognition. But where? How? Why are they meeting again?

"Are you crying?" he asks.

"I do, sometimes," she answers. "When I wake up."

He nods and reaches out a tentative hand. "It's like a dream I can't recall."

"A dream," she echoes. Their fingertips connect. "A dream where I am looking."

"I'm looking for someone."

"Someone I can't find."

Their eyes meet, and they are both startled. She reaches for him, and he reaches for her, but the universe is falling and they are wrenched apart and

.

.

.

Elizabeth woke up.

Her eyes fell on the ceiling as the room came into focus. Rays of light came through the window, making streaks of gold across the stone ceiling. She turned her head as the dream faded away, breathing in deeply the fresh morning air and listening to the sounds of the castle coming to life. With a sigh she sat up, and pushed the sheets away, stretching her arms up over her head.

The bedroom door opened with a bang that startled her so badly she nearly fell out of the bed. Once Elizabeth righted herself she looked in surprise at her sister Veronica standing in the doorway, her arms folded. "I see you're not touching yourself this morning," she said sarcastically.

"What?" Elizabeth squeaked, her arms immediately covering herself. "What do you mean by that?"

Veronica rolled her eyes and said, "You're so weird sometimes. Come on, Father expects us at breakfast."

She puzzled over what her sister could mean as she hurried out of bed. As she began pulling out her clothes her lady-in-waiting arrived with a fresh basin of water and towels. Before long Elizabeth was washed, dressed in a flowing yellow dress, and sitting as the girl combed her long silver hair down her back. Elizabeth watched in the mirror, still blinking away the last wisps of the dream she had been having. There was an odd feeling still lingering, as if on the back of her neck or the edges of her vision.

But she brushed it away as the girl finished her work, and Elizabeth carefully fixed her bangs into their place over her eye. Then, the last piece: she slipped the blue earring into her ear, the treasured gift from her older sister that carried the crest of their family and kingdom, the sun and crescent moon.

Finally ready, she hurried to the small, informal dining room the princesses used when eating together outside of the banquets and formal state dinners. Both Veronica and Margaret were already there, the former giving her a bit of a smirk and the other offering a curious smile as she made a beeline for her seat. But it was her father, the king himself, whose presence set her on a bit of edge. He did not often share breakfast with his daughters.

"Good morning," she murmured after a quick curtsey. She took her place on his left and nodded a thanks to the servant who placed a serving of eggs in front of her. Elizabeth could feel her family's eyes on her, so she quickly snatched up the sugar bowl and began dropping cubes into her cup.

"Feeling better today, Elizabeth?" Margaret asked.

The cube of sugar made a little splash as it fell into the tea. "I… feel fine?" she stammered out, peering up at her sister through her bangs.

"I'm glad to hear it," answered Margaret with a nod. "Your behavior was rather unusual yesterday. I was afraid that you were coming down with something."

"My behavior?" At that Elizabeth looked up, her eyes wide in surprise. "Did I do something?"

Veronica snorted. "You came down wearing some awful dress, your hair was a mess, and you barely knew anyone's name!"

Elizabeth frowned and looked back at Margaret, who was nodding sadly. "You were quite strange, Elizabeth. I thought for sure you had been ill. You even forgot to wear your earring."

"You wouldn't do any of your lessons," Veronica went on. "And you chased the cook around the kitchen with a frying pan."

"I did what!" She gasped and looked between both of her sisters, and then turned her shocked expression to her father.

The king was looking back at her, his eyes narrowed and his lips pressed tightly together. Still he did not speak, however, and Elizabeth felt the soft blush that had been forming on her cheeks flare into a hot streak across her face and down her neck.

The rest of the breakfast was finished quickly and silently, before the things were cleared and Margaret announced it was time for the younger two to attend their lessons. All three princesses stood and gave their goodbyes to the king, but as Elizabeth hurried towards the door after the other two, he called out her name.

Elizabeth froze. Slowly she turned and inched back towards the table, her eyes down. "Yes, Father?" she whispered.

"No more nonsense today," he admonished her, and the girl nodded eagerly. "I don't want to hear my daughter is acting foolishly, especially on an important day like today."

She was not completely sure what he meant, but Elizabeth nodded again and gave a small curtsey. He turned back to his teacup, which she took to signal her dismissal, but before she made it to the door he called after her, "And stand up straight."

Her cheeks once again burning, Elizabeth hurried to the study where the tutor would be waiting. Margaret, being the oldest, had finished her studies the previous year, but would occasionally join them for fun. This was not one of those times, however, and Elizabeth slipped into the room under the scornful gaze of the tutor. "There you are," she said as Elizabeth sat beside a snickering Veronica. "I thought perhaps you had forgotten what day it was."

"No, miss," she replied, and when the tutor turned around to pick up a book, she elbowed Veronica sharply in the side.

"I trust you'll remember things better today, Your Highness?" the tutor went on as she turned back around. She gazed down at her over the rim of her glasses. "You had quite a bit of trouble with math and languages yesterday. Hopefully today you'll put in a bit more effort, hm?"

Elizabeth nodded, the blush returning again to her face. Quickly she opened her notebook, but the tutor said, "No regular lessons today. We need to work on your roles for the ceremony this evening."

Veronica nodded and pulled out her own notes, but Elizabeth looked around confused. "Ceremony?" she whispered to her sister when the tutor's back is turned. "What does she mean?"

The older girl rolled her eyes and gives her a look of pure annoyance. "Seriously, what's wrong with you? We have to do the goddess ceremony. At the horn?"

"That's _tonight_?" Elizabeth squeaked. Frantically she began to turn the pages in her notebook, praying that she had finished writing her part. Yesterday was such a blur… _what had happened to her_?

She reached the last bit written, swallowing in relief to see it was finished. But then, on the blank page opposite, was written a message in large, bolded letters, in a script not her own:

 _Who are you?_

* * *

By the time Elizabeth was released from her lessons for lunch, she was feeling more off than ever. The tutor had made her go over her part for the goddess ceremony at least a dozen times, and as lunch approached her nerves were too frayed to even think about eating. So instead of heading back to the dining room, she went instead to find her two closest friends.

Elizabeth tried the open training field first, and was pleased to see her instinct was right. There she found Howzer and Jericho stretched out on a blanket under a tree, passing a skin of water back and forth. The girl perked up as the princess approached, however, and waved enthusiastically. "Elizabeth! Over here!"

With a sigh of relief she plopped down next to her friend. Howzer and Jericho were enrolled in the early program for Holy Knights, having been identified as candidates as children. They lived in the barracks that were attached to the castle for knights, in a special wing for pre-apprentices. Although Elizabeth received a separate education and had different duties than they had, there was still plenty of time over the years for them to be together, unable to leave the castle grounds without a reason. Because of this, the three had formed a close friendship growing up in the castle. Howzer and Jericho were the two people in the world who knew her best, and the only people she could be around without all the formality.

"Are you all right today?" Jericho asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

Elizabeth frowned. "Everyone keeps asking me that. But I can't remember yesterday at all! What did I do?"

"What didn't you do is more like it," Howzer laughed as he stretched out on the blanket. "You were like a whole other person."

"You didn't seem to recognize anyone," Jericho continued. "When someone said your name, you wouldn't answer, as if you didn't hear them. You forgot where everything was, and didn't even know us!"

Drawing her knees up, Elizabeth rested her chin on them. "I just don't understand," she said quietly. "What do you think happened to me?"

"No idea," Jericho answered. "You even forgot to wear your earring."

Immediately her hand went to the little blue charm that dangled from her ear, the bead feeling familiar in her hand as she turned it over in her fingertips. Just then she remembered the strange message written in her notebook: _Who are you?_ Did she write that? Why couldn't she remember?

"Are you ready for tonight?" asked Howzer. "We'll be there as part of the color guard."

Elizabeth sighed heavily. "As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose. I'm pretty terrified. It will be so many people!"

Jericho gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. "We'll be there, so just look for us. You're a princess, Elizabeth. It's in your blood. You're going to do fine."

"I hate being a princess sometimes," she whispered.

"Are you serious?" Howzer asked, as Jericho cried, "What do you mean?"

Elizabeth sighed. "You will both be Holy Knights one day, and get to go somewhere. You're stuck here for now but it won't last forever. But I don't have a future… at least not one where I get to go and be… anything." Her voice drifted away, and when she spied the confused looks on their faces, Elizabeth quickly stammered, "I'm sorry, sorry, I didn't mean that. It's just… I've just felt… so strange today." _Who are you?_ "Lately, it's like I'm not myself. Like a dream I can't wake up from."

Her two friends passed a look between them, and then Jericho said, "It's probably just nerves for tonight. Once you get through your part, you'll feel back to normal."

"Yeah!" Howzer assured her. "Then we'll sneak out and go hit up a tavern or something to celebrate."

"Or a café!" Jericho said excitedly. "A café would be fun!"

"I wish," she murmured, and the conversation continued as the two friends went on about the places they would go to if they were allowed out. But Elizabeth still felt the nagging feeling she had had since that morning, as if there was something else.

* * *

Elizabeth fidgeted nervously, pulling on the uncomfortable gown she wore. The fabric was so heavy she felt as though she had added an extra twenty pounds just in dress. Standing out in the warm evening, the air feeling like summer had arrived early, was not helping either. She was sweating under the swaths of fabric, making it itchy on her skin.

"Stop squirming," Margaret whispered to her, and Elizabeth immediately stilled.

"I'm sorry," she whispered back. "It's just so hot."

Margaret looked down at her sympathetically. "I know. But it's only for a little while." They resumed their silent watching for a few moments, until she whispered again, "Are you ready?"

Elizabeth swallowed. "I think? I hate talking in front of people. But I don't really have a choice."

Nodding, her sister answered, "You're right, you don't. But I'm sure you'll do fine."

Wishing she could be half as confident, Elizabeth watched as Margaret stepped forward from where the three princesses stood at the side of the dais erected in the main castle courtyard. A large crowd of important dignitaries, nobility, Holy Knights, and citizens had gathered to watch the annual ceremony where the royal family would offer thanks to the goddesses for their protection. It was a tradition that went back thousands of years, to the founding of Liones, and although the names of the goddesses were lost and the only knowledge they had was simply legend, it was the one thing that remained from the old days.

The king offered prayers of thanks, and then each princess would give their own offering for a specific request for the kingdom. Elizabeth, who had turned sixteen the past year, was now old enough to join in the ceremony. She watched as Margaret gave her speech confidently, the traditional robes making her look as though she could be a goddess from the ancient times. Her prayer was for the Holy Knights of Liones to grow in strength and wisdom in the next year. The conclusion was met with polite but enthusiastic applause, and she turned and laid her bouquet of irises in the small pyre in the center of the dais. Veronica moved confidently forward next, her voice powerful as she prayed for prosperity for the kingdom, and offered grains of wheat into the fire.

When it was her turn, Elizabeth was already shaking, and walked to the center slowly. Her heart felt as though it would beat right out of her chest, and her eyes quickly scanned the crowd, looking for Jericho or Howzer. But they were impossible to find in the sea of faces, so Elizabeth simply took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Goddesses," she began, "I come to give thanks and ask for your blessings on Liones as a princess of this kingdom." _Who are you?_ "Your gift to us of this kingdom is blessed and-"

Her voice faltered as her mind went blank. She closed her eyes to ward off the unsettling feeling that was filling her chest. What was she supposed to say? _Who are you?_

"Elizabeth," the king whispered harshly, and her eyes snapped open.

"We ask for your blessings and keep the people of Liones safe," she finished in a rush. As quickly as she could she walked to the pyre and set in the small bottle of fermented wine, stepping back to join her sisters, her face a bright red.

Afterwards, the girls returned to their chambers to change before the extravagant banquet to celebrate the continued blessings. As they walked, Margaret said to her, "You did well, Elizabeth. I know that wasn't easy."

She smiled weakly at her sister, but Veronica teased, "You almost forgot, didn't you?"

"Yes," she admitted. "My mind kind of went blank. I couldn't remember what the wish was for."

"You know," Margaret said, linking her arm in hers as they carefully climbed the stairs, "it's a tradition too for each of us to make our own wish."

"It is?" Elizabeth asked happily, and Margaret nodded. "But it's our secret."

"I'm wishing for them to serve ice cream at dinner tonight," Veronica sighed as she gathered up her long skirts.

The other two laughed, and Veronica stuck her tongue out. "Well we know what Margaret will be wishing for: _Gilthunder_."

Margaret aimed a playful swat at her sister, who scurried away and up the steps. Elizabeth giggled to herself, until the older girl asked, "What would you wish for, Elizabeth?"

She thought quietly as they reached the top of the steps, then paused to look out the window. "I wish to be normal," she said. Letting go of Margaret's arm, she stepped to the window and called out, "In my next life, I want to come back as a boy! A normal boy from a normal village with a normal life!"

Margaret laughed and pulled her away. "You are silly. Someone will think you snuck some of that wine if they hear you say such a thing."

Elizabeth ducked her head a bit to avoid revealing the blush that graced her cheeks, moving as quickly as she could to catch up to the others.

* * *

Elizabeth jolted awake, falling from the bed and landing on her arm. "Ow," she muttered, rubbing her head. How much wine did she drink at the banquet? With a groan she sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, and looked up.

Her room was completely changed. Instead of the large, plush bed, it was a smaller one without the pillows and embroidered curtains, just a few simple linens on top. Her mouth dropped open as her head turned: no vanity, no jewelry boxes, no wardrobes filled with dresses of all kinds. No racks of shoes or gilded hairbrushes or long heavy curtains sweeping ceiling to floor. Instead, there was a simple table and chair, light curtains on the large window, and smattering of clothes hanging about. One small set of drawers was pushed against one wall, and Elizabeth thought that the entire room would fit into her closet.

Nervously she ran her fingers through her hair, freezing when they reached the tips of the strands just a few inches off her head, instead of being able to pull the long, waist-length locks over her shoulder. _Did someone cut my hair?_ she wondered in panic. Then she looked down, her eyes widening as she took in the unfamiliar body: muscled arms, flat chest, a sleeveless shirt and shorts instead of the soft nightgown. Her hand flattened against her rapidly beating heart, and then dragged down the pectoral that replaced her breast, the abdominal muscles there instead of the flat curve of her stomach, and then between her legs… where something _very_ strange and _very_ sensitive and very _not belonging to her_ resided heavy in her palm.

With a shriek she clambered up to her feet, launching towards the mirror on the wall, and gasped when she caught sight of herself. No more blue eyes, long silver hair, slender limbs, womanly curves. Instead a young man with green eyes and messy blonde hair stared back, looking just as shocked as she felt. Once more her eyes dragged down the hard body in the mirror, until they landed on the center that had startled her so badly, her face blushing a furious red with the memory.

"Captain!" someone called. "Did you oversleep? Let's go!"

Elizabeth gasped. "Uh, coming!" she called back. Looking around, she pulled on a white shirt and black pants that were hanging over the end of the bed, grabbing the boots sitting by the door as she headed out.

There was a small hallway, with stairs leading up and stairs leading down. Cautiously she headed down the steps, once more shocked as she stepped into the main room of a _tavern_. Elizabeth grinned to herself as she took in the sight. What a vivid dream this was! There were large, rounded tables in the center of the floor, surrounded by wooden stools. Light streamed in through the huge window at the side, and her eyes traveled over the green front door and the little bell that hung above. On the opposite side, a huge bar with more stools took up the entire wall. Behind shelves were lined with bottles of all shapes and sizes, and in front of it all, a tall man in a red jacket and pants scowled at her.

Next to him was a large pink pig, who also seemed to be frowning deeply. "Took ya long enough!" the pig shouted.

Elizabeth's mouth dropped open. "It's talking!" she squealed, clapping her hands in delight. _Yes, definitely a dream_.

"Did you oversleep _again_?" the pig snapped. "I'm not getting ready by myself."

"No, I—" She paused, hearing a voice not her own come out of her mouth. "You know a girl has to get her beauty sleep!"

"Girl?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Boy!" Elizabeth corrected, and when both brows raised, she hurried on, "Man! A man needs sleep!"

 _Who are you?_

The words in her notebook flashed in her mind, but she shook her head to clear it. "Sorry, I… lost track of time." Looking around, she asked. "Is this a tavern?"

"Don't start this again," he groaned. The tall man easily hoisted himself over the bar, coming up to peer down at him suspiciously. "This memory trick of yours is getting old. Now I'm going to prep the food, so start unloading the ale delivery, got it? Merlin will be here soon and I'm not listening to her complaining again."

With that, he stepped around her and disappeared through a cellar door, his footsteps fading out as he headed down. Elizabeth took a deep breath as she turned and looked back at the room. Eventually her eyes landed on the pig, who regarded her suspiciously. "You're weird," he declared, before trotting in the direction of the kitchen and disappearing behind the door.

This was the strangest dream she had had in a while; but this is what she had wanted right? She crossed to the window and looked out, finding a town she didn't recognize just beyond a small rise. Her heart soared a bit at the sight, smiling to herself. She was somewhere new, doing something _different_ , and even if it was just a dream she was going to take what the goddesses gave her.


	2. The Boar Hat

**Chapter 2: The Boar Hat**

 _At last, hello, you've opened your eyes_  
 _But, why won't you even look me in the eyes, what's wrong with you?_  
 _You angrily tell me that I'm late_  
 _Well, I'm sorry, but I did my best and running at my fastest pace_  
 _My heart overtook my body as it flew to find you in this place_

* * *

Having no idea what to do to get ready, Elizabeth began arranging things behind the bar, staring curiously at all the different types of glassware, reading labels on the bottles, digging into the cabinets to find different fruits, toothpicks, napkins, more bottles, and jars of things she couldn't identify. She pulled everything out and laid it on the counter, then packed it all back inside. The last was a basket of lemons, so after a brief hunt she found a cutting board and a knife and began making slow, careful slices, as she had seen in some of the drinks passed around at the banquet the night before.

After a while the tall man returned, looking at her funnily. "I thought you chopped lemons yesterday?" he asked, peering at the pile of slices she had.

"We ran out," she answered easily.

"Huh." Elizabeth smiled at him and wiped her hands carefully on the apron tied around her waist. "Well, I'm out of onion, so I'm gonna run down to the village and—"

"The village!" she cried. "Can I come?" She hurried to hang up the apron and toss the knife in the little sink behind the bar as her companion frowned.

"Uh, yeah, sure. If you're that excited about it."

Elizabeth gave a little clap of her hands, earning another strange look. Together they headed out and down the path. She looked around in amazement, marveling again at how vivid everything was; she could feel the little breeze and the sun on her face, hear the sound of the leaves in the trees rustling, and it was all she could do to keep from skipping along.

The village was even better. People milled about, heading in all directions, and Elizabeth was assaulted by sights and sounds around her: the ring of the blacksmith's iron, the smell of dozens of kitchens, calls of women and men and children, wagons hurrying by. She wandered between the buildings in amazement, smiling at being able to walk among the same people she could only observe from her carriage or out the window of the castle.

"Hurry up," her friend called, and quickly she jogged up as he disappeared into the general store.

Her mouth hung open again at the amount of everything inside: racks of food, supplies, bags, crates, all labeled with fruit or sugar or grains or coffee. She followed him to the counter and was greeted by the clerk. "Meliodas! Ban! Glad to see you both. What can I do for you?"

"Two sacks of onions," her companion replied, and Elizabeth watched with some interest as the transaction was completed. _Ban, his name is Ban,_ she repeated to herself, wanting to remember. _My name is Meliodas._

When the clerk returned, both looked expectantly at her. "What?" she asked, feeling the familiar heat on her cheeks.

"Gonna pay the man?" Ban huffed.

"Pay!" she exclaimed. Quickly she fished into her pocket, finding coins in the bottom. Elizabeth pulled them out and held her hand out, opening her fingers and palm facing up.

Ban's eyebrows slowly rose, and then with a snort picked out two of the coins and handed them to the equally puzzled clerk. "Thanks," he said, and then ushered her out of the store.

"What's the matter with you?" Ban asked when they reached the street. "You're acting funny like you did the other day. What's going on?"

"Nothing," she murmured in reply, her eyes going wide as they caught sight of a store across the road. He shouted behind her as she hurried up, and Elizabeth pressed her hands on the window, peering inside. Her reflection was that of the blonde young man, but that was pushed aside as she saw people inside, sitting at tables.

"Is this a cafe?" she asked, turning to look up at Ban when he approached. "Can we go in? Is the rest of the money okay here?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah I guess? Since when do you like this stuff?"

Without an answer Elizabeth hurried inside, sitting happily at an empty table. Ban joined her a minute later, slumping into a chair opposite and loading the onions on the remaining chair. "You're buying," he announced as he folded his arms.

The waitress approached with menus, and Elizabeth eagerly scanned the selections. "What should I get?" she asked.

"A doctor," Ban muttered.

A half hour later, Elizabeth was sighing into her second cup of coffee and starting in on her third custard. "Is there anything else?" the waitress asked with an incredulous look on her face.

"How much more can I get?" Elizabeth asked, holding out her hand filled with the coins. The waitress gasped, and Ban reached out and snatched up the coins. "I think you've had enough," he warned, and dropped three copper-colored ones in the waitress' hands. "That's all."

Shaking her head, the waitress left, and Ban stood. "Okay, enough of this. We need to get back and finish setting up."

"But my coffee," she complained, but stood anyway when he hauled her up by the arm, following him out and back through the village.

When they reached the tavern, Elizabeth noted the sign hanging outside of the door. It was metal with the silhouette of a pig, and the words _Boar Hat_ carved above it. She giggled to herself when she saw something so silly, but the laughter was cut short when they walked inside.

A tall, beautiful woman stood leaning on the counter, frowning down at the lemons that she had left on the counter. Her golden eyes looked up at them as they stepped into the room, and with a snort she asked, "Who left such a mess?"

"Three guesses," Ban called as he headed towards the kitchen, carrying the sacks of onions.

Sheepishly Elizabeth hurried behind the bar, cleaning up the lemons and wiping down the table with a rag from under the counter. The woman watched with piqued interest, and Elizabeth tried her best not to watch back. She was intimidating, and beautiful, and her _clothes_ —nothing like anything she had seen before. The golden eyes followed her, but she never spoke, and the silence made her so nervous she kept mixing up bottles and dropping things.

Finally the woman laughed, startling her. "I hope this isn't one of your tricks," she warned, and then disappeared up the steps to the second floor. Elizabeth found herself breathing a bit easier without her scrutiny, and just in time too; the door to the tavern opened with a jingle of the bell, and the first customers arrived.

Working in a tavern was not something that Elizabeth had ever imagined she would be doing, but at first it seemed really fun. The customers were a happy bunch, stopping in after a day working hard, meeting friends and swapping gossip. The intimidating woman appeared again at some point, wearing a pink shirt and blue skirt. She looked ridiculous, Elizabeth concluded, but at the same time sophisticated somehow. Even though it was much less risqué than the previous outfit, it still left little to the imagination, and she wondered why in the world she would wear it.

Immediately it became clear. "Merlin!" the patrons called in a chorus, and with a wink and a wave she swept behind the bar and picked up a large tray.

Merlin gave her an impatient look. "Are you going to stare all night or are you going to pour drinks?"

"Right! Right!" Elizabeth exclaimed. The next few hours were busy, fast, exciting, and exhausting. The princess— _Meliodas_ —served mug after mug of ale, pulling out bottles of brown and yellow and clear and even blue liquid, popping corks on slim bottles of wine. Merlin kept the customers happy with her poised service, and to Elizabeth's shock, even began using magic to move drinks and food around the room. Ban would appear occasionally from the kitchen to speak to someone or help himself to a drink. Even the pig seemed to have a job—Hawk, she came to learn was his name—gobbling up leftovers and chatting up customers into ordering more.

Elizabeth could only do her best to keep up with it all. Her cheeks were flushed from the excitement and the heat and noise of the room. And the _money_ … she had no need of it, and had never seen so many coins in different colors and sizes, some with strange markings. Piles of it were dropped into a metal box behind the counter, and Elizabeth itched to pull it all out and lay it on the counter and examine each strange piece.

"Hey," Ban said, stepping around the bar.

Elizabeth handed two mugs to the men who had just taken seats at the bar before looking over. "Yes?"

"Can you take these over to table four?" he asked, nodding his head towards the window. "Merlin took a break and I gotta go hit the can. Master'll eat this if it sits out."

He handed her three plates, which she somehow managed to juggle into her arms. Stepping carefully out into the main floor, she weaved her way among the tables and patrons and carefully set the plates down in front of the three men at the table. No one acknowledged her, so after a moment she turned to go, but then was stopped by a rough hand on her arm.

"Hey!" the one grabbing her shouted. "This isn't what I ordered!"

"What?" she asked, turning back around.

He held up his plate. "This. Isn't. What. I. Ordered." He smirked at her and said in a haughty voice, "I wanted my eggs over hard. This is over medium."

Elizabeth looked at him with wide eyes, unsure of what to do, when he thrust the plate at her. "Are you gonna go fix it?"

"S-sure," she stammered, grabbing the plate and hurrying it back to the kitchen.

But it was still empty, Ban having not returned. "What do I do? What do I do?" she muttered, looking around.

The door swung open and Hawk appeared. "What are you doing?" he hollered. "The customers need help! I'm taking care of everything all by myself again!"

"I'm sorry," she said with a wring of her hands. "This food was made wrong and I don't know how to fix it."

"Well figure something out! And leave the scraps, I'll get them in a second." With that he turned and trotted out, a chorus of voices swelling as the door swung open.

 _What to do?_ Elizabeth spied the rack of eggs, and decided to just fix the order herself. She had seen people cook before, how hard could it be? Grabbing two eggs, she carried them to the pan already hot and waiting on the stove. She cracked them on the side of the counter and drops in the yolks, one at a time, smiling in satisfaction as she watched the whites start to simmer.

But the man had said he wanted them over _hard_. Elizabeth frowned. What does that mean? The edges were browning a bit so she reached for a spatula overhead, but paused. Eggs aren't hard. The more you cook them, the softer they get. How do you make an egg over, hard?

Biting her lip she lifted the corner of one egg. They were cooked nearly through on the bottom, and with a tentative prod she confirmed what she already knew: the eggs were not hard. Her eyes swept around, looking for guidance, and then landed on the broken eggshells on the counter. That was the only part of an egg that is hard… perhaps…?

It seemed strange, but then she had never heard of eggs over hard before. Maybe this was how they eat them in… wherever this was? Deciding to try it, she tossed in the eggshells, and then carefully folded the eggs over. She flipped them a few seconds later, letting them cook a bit more, and then with a renewed confidence slid them onto a plate.

Elizabeth grinned as she returned to the main room and placed the meal down in front of the customer. "Two eggs over _hard_!" she laughed. He stared at her a minute, and she realized she probably looked too eager. Quickly she turned to go back to serving drinks.

"Hey!" His shout was louder now, making her freeze. His voice carried through the room, drawing the attention of the other patrons, so cautiously Elizabeth turned around. He was standing now, his face furious as he pushed over his stool. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Joke?" she echoed, twisting her fingers together nervously. Did she screw up again?

"Yeah, a joke. You put shells in my eggs. I almost choked!"

Her eyes watched in alarm as he picked up a knife from the table. "I'm terribly sorry, I-you said you wanted eggs hard and I—"

The room erupted into laughter, which only infuriated the man more. Elizabeth's face was on fire as she looked around at the eagerly watching faces. "You think this is funny? I'll show you funny."

He lunged forward, and Elizabeth jumped back with a shout; but in the next instant Ban was there, his hand on the man's shoulder and pushing him very pointedly back down on his stool, as Merlin stepped in front of her, blocking his path.

"I'm very sorry for the mix-up," Merlin cooed, picking up the plate. "Our boss has been a bit under the weather."

"He nearly killed me!" the man yelled, and Elizabeth gasped. "Someone could have been hurt!"

"But you weren't, were you?" Merlin smiled. "I'll get you a fresh plate right away. And everything is on the house for your trouble, of course."

That mollified him enough to merely grumble, and Merlin reached over to collect the offensive eggs. Elizabeth watched as her eyes met Ban's for a brief moment, then the tall man let go of his shoulder, stepping around the patrons who were going back to their own conversations, now that the show was over. "Come on you," he said, hauling Elizabeth up and pushing her back around the bar.

* * *

After the last customer left, Elizabeth slumped down on a stool. The service was exhausting, and she groaned looking around at all the cleanup to be done. But to her delight, Merlin did a quick twist of her wrist, and the cups, plates, and trash began to float through the room, depositing themselves into the appropriate places.

She watched in wonder for a moment before she realized Merlin was looking at her sternly. With a sheepish smile she turned to go, but Hawk was blocking the other side. "Uh…" Elizabeth began, but the pig cut her off with a stomp of his hoof.

"I don't know what's gotten into you," he snapped, "but your antics are going to cost us valuable information. You are the Captain, you need to act like it."

Elizabeth gulped and nodded as Merlin picked up the lecture. "This isn't just a tavern we're running. We're trying to find the others, because without them we'll have no hope against the Commandments. Not that I need to remind _you_ of that."

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth squeaked out, but then Hawk continued, "And those men! What were you thinking, cooking for them? Ban is going to kill you if I don't do it myself. And how did they intimidate you? You really couldn't handle one loud mouth idiot?"

Both glared at her, but Elizabeth simply stood with her mouth hanging open. A moment later, Merlin sighed. "I suppose I should not be so harsh. You haven't been feeling well? You need more sleep."

"More sleep," Elizabeth murmured. She frowned, suddenly, remembering this was a dream. How long was this thing going to last?

As she pondered that, she noticed something strange about Merlin's uniform. With a gasp she looked closer, bending down to lean in towards her backside.

"Knock that off, you pervert!" Hawk squealed.

Elizabeth blushed, shaking her head furiously as she righted herself. "I wasn't— _looking._ There is a slit up the back of her skirt. Someone cut a hole in it!"

"Must have been that idiot," she muttered, turning around to try to see it. "How bad is it?"

"I can fix it," Elizabeth volunteered. Before Merlin could say anything else, she hurried into the storage where she had spied some supplies and came back out to the main room, sitting on a stool and setting out her things. Ban came in wiping his hands on a towel as she carefully threaded a needle. "What's this?" he laughed.

"Captain's gonna sew my skirt," Merlin chuckled. They joked together at her— _Meliodas'_ —expense, but when Merlin slipped out of her skirt—very unashamed at being in simply a pair of panties, but making Elizabeth blush furiously—she quickly got to work stitching up the hole.

When it was done, she examined it proudly. It was nearly impossible to tell where the hole had been, and Merlin looked at her curiously after examining it herself. "Well what do you know," Ban commented. "Captain's full of surprises."

"Oh, I've known how to do that all my life," Elizabeth explained. "One of the things my father expects us to learn."

All three exchanged a look, and she blushed again. Of course they wouldn't know that; they thought she was their friend Meliodas. But if this was a dream, did it matter?

"Why don't you head to bed," Merlin said gently. "Get some rest, because we have to keep moving in the morning. I can finish up down here."

Gratefully, Elizabeth nodded and hurried up the stairs, doing a double-take when she caught sight of herself in the mirror again. Once more she examined herself closely, staring into unfamiliar green eyes, twisting a few of the wild blonde locks of hair that seemed to be everywhere. Slowly she undressed, running the fingers stronger than her own over hard muscle, exclaiming in surprise by how much strength was present in the chiseled body. And there was something else too, something that seemed to simmer under her skin, just waiting for release, but what she did not know.

When the shirt was removed, Elizabeth saw something she had never noticed before. She had a tattoo on her arm, a circular dragon that was eating its own tail. Drawing closer to the mirror she peered at it closely, amazed by the simple but effective design. There was something about it that stirred her blood a bit, making her lightheaded, but in a good way. She flexed her bicep as she bit her lower lip, tracing the outline with her finger.

 _This dream… is so realistic…_

After stripping down to her shorts—she did _not_ want a repeat surprise like that morning—she began to look around the room. The closet had more uniform shirts and pants, another pair of boots, a cloak, and odds and ends such as a belt and a scabbard. The drawers yielded nothing at first either, just more clothes and a few blankets.

But the top left drawer held stacks of papers and notebooks, so Elizabeth pulled it all out and laid it across the table. There was a map of Britannia with X's and marks with notes, legends detailing the tavern's expenses, reminders on scraps of paper with people's names or recipes. It made her curious _where_ in Britannia she was supposed to be. Elizabeth had gone on only a handful of trips outside of Liones, always under heavy supervision, and always staying in royal palaces.

Stacking it all in a pile, Elizabeth opened the first notebook and immediately gasped. There was a perfect sketch of the Boar Hat, down to the little sign outside and the shingled pointed roof. Elizabeth could not help but smile at the beautiful drawing as she turned the page, finding more sketches. Some were of Ban and Merlin and some others she did not know; some were of armor, some of animals, and some random shapes or designs.

There was one figure that kept appearing, however, a woman who was somehow familiar, as if in a dream of a dream. Elizabeth hummed to herself as she found the sketch again and again. Long hair and bangs, a curvy figure, but no defining features. It seems almost that Meliodas had forgotten what her face looked like from the unfinished drawings. In one of the drawings, the mystery woman had two sets of shining white wings; the image of it gave her a shiver, and she found herself unable to look away for several minutes.

On the next to the last page was a strange symbol, drawn with heavy ink. It was a circle with a flaming ring around it, and it gave Elizabeth an unusually unsettled feeling. All at once she had the sense that she was doing something wrong, snooping into someone's private diary of sorts. She slammed the book closed and decided not to look at the others, not wanting to intrude.

She was about to return the things when she remembered her _own_ notebook at the castle. Someone had written _Who are you?_ on one of the pages, after she had a day she could not recall.

Elizabeth frowned. Was there some kind of… connection between this dream and that day?

Fishing back in the drawer, Elizabeth came upon a few pencil stubs and a pen with ink. Carefully she opened the book, leafing through until she reached the ending. There was only one blank page, the one opposite the strange symbol. Dipping the pen into the ink, she carefully wrote across the blank page her name: _Elizabeth_.

She placed the pen down and left the papers and books out, suddenly tired. With a huge yawn she climbed into the bed so unlike her own after blowing out the lamps in the room, and then turned to look out the window once settled. Instead of the glowing lights of the castle and the city below, it was dark, only a faint light or two coming from the town. It was empty, and quiet, and strange, and within minutes, Elizabeth fell fast asleep.


	3. Rules of Engagement

**Chapter 3: Rules of Engagement**

 _Where should I start? How should I explain?_  
 _Wanna tell you everything that happened  
while you were in a long, long dream  
Wish I could breathe in the same dimension,  
I don't want to let it go_  
 _Now that I am finally faced with the voice  
I've known for so long_

* * *

Meliodas woke up with a huge yawn and a stretch. He rubbed his palms into his eyes, trying to shake off another odd dream. He had been plagued with them lately, although he could never exactly remember what they were about when he woke up. It was more unsettling than he wanted to admit.

There was only a bit of sun peeking outside, the clouds heavy as they rolled in, threatening rain. He needed to get down to the village and get some things before that started, so he got out of bed, rolling his shoulders a bit. He padded barefoot over towards the washroom, but when he reached the door he froze. Slowly he turned back and walked to the little table to the side of the room.

It was covered in papers and his notebooks—things he _knew_ he had not left out—things he would _never_ leave out. In a flash Meliodas hurried over to the drawer where they _should_ be, but when he yanked it open, sure enough it was empty. He frowned in deep confusion, finally turning back to the table.

Meliodas gathered up the things into a pile, thinking. Why would he leave all this out? Why would he take it all out in the first place? He huffed when he picked up the journals, feeling uneasy that someone might have come in and looked through it all. Or did he do it? How much did he have to drink last night? It usually took a lot more than the few he recalled to get him _this_ intoxicated.

It was all a haze, and he plopped down in the chair to flip through the pages, looking to see if he had written or drawn anything and just didn't remember. Everything seemed the same, so he turned it over as the back cover popped open.

There, next to the symbol he had drawn that was from a former life, something that had been a part of him since birth, was a name in a script that was completely different than his own but still, somehow, familiar.

 _Elizabeth_.

His heart jolted and his body jumped with a sharp rap on the door. "Captain! You up?" Ban's voice called through the wood.

"Y-yeah," he answered. A single finger slid over the name. Who wrote that? Who could know?

"We got stuff to doooo~" Ban called again, and Meliodas shook the mystery from his mind. Quickly he gathered up the books and papers and deposited them in the drawer. This was a question that could be answered later.

Downstairs, Merlin and Ban watched him closely as he walked through the main room and headed behind the bar. He pulled out a mug and filled it with fresh water, and after taking a long sip he looked between them both. "Why are you staring?" he asked suspiciously.

"Who are you today?" Merlin smirked, and Ban snorted.

Meliodas frowned. "What are you talking about?"

The two exchanged a look. "I don't know, Cap'n," Ban began. "You seem to be switching back and forth between you and—not you."

"You're talking nonsense," he dismissed with another sip of water.

"Not really," Merlin observed. "Although I think _this_ might be the Captain."

Before he could demand an answer, Ban leaned over the counter. "Well, let's test it. What are your thoughts on pudding?"

"What?"

"Hmm… feigning innocence. All right, how many cups of coffee are you planning to drink today?"

Meliodas snorted. "I don't even really like coffee."

Ban's eyebrows raised, and Merlin joined in, "Tell us Captain, what does cooking an egg over hard mean?"

Both erupted into laughter, but Meliodas just huffed in annoyance. "You're both ridiculous."

He muttered as he washed out the mug, the others still laughing, but then he straightened and ask, "Did one of you guys go in my room last night and take out all my papers?"

"Your room?" Ban echoed. "Why would one of us do that?"

"I don't know… was I really drunk or something?"

They exchanged a glance, a habit that was beginning to grate on his nerves. "You didn't drink last night, Cap," Ban answered. "Probably should have though."

"I thought he was rather charming," Merlin smiled.

"Ha ha," muttered Meliodas as they laughed again. "Come on, let's get moving."

* * *

When Elizabeth woke up, the first thing she saw on her arm was writing in ink. _Elizabeth? Who are you? What are you?_ it read.

"What?!" she exclaimed, just as the door to her room banged open. She jumped in surprise, nearly falling over the side as Veronica yelled into the room. "Let's go, you're going to be late!"

"Late?" Elizabeth exclaimed. "For what?"

Veronica huffed with her hands planted on her hips. "We have class in ten minutes, and you haven't had breakfast yet."

"Class? But isn't it… Sunday…?" Elizabeth glanced down at her arm, her finger tracing over the letters drawn there.

"I see you're not touching your boobs today," Veronica snickered. "Now hurry up!"

She was gone with a slam of the door, and for a moment her exit did not register. "It's not Sunday," Elizabeth whispered to herself, then her eyes shot up to where her sister had stood. "Boobs!"

Quickly she scrambled out of bed. No time to call for a lady-in-waiting, she threw on a gown and put in her earring before slipping into her shoes, not bothering to brush her hair or wash her face before running from the room. She made it just in time, but when she entered the library, the tutor glared at her sharply, not even acknowledging the small hello she gave. Elizabeth slipped into her seat as quietly as possible, and as the tutor was busy flipping through a book, she leaned over and whispered, "Why is he looking at me like that?"

Veronica just shrugged, but for the rest of the morning, Elizabeth knew _something_ was wrong. Immediately she realized she had left her notebook in her room, which earned her a laugh from her sister and an exasperated sigh from the teacher. For the rest of the morning she was short with the princess, cutting off her answers and only glancing at her work. Yet the teacher's eyes never seemed to leave her, as if waiting for her to make a mistake, so it was a relief to finally escape for lunch.

The princess hurried down to their tree, Howzer and Jericho waiting as they always were. "You'll never believe this," she groaned as she plopped down next to her friends, but Jericho cut her off. "Are you feeling better today?"

"Better?" Elizabeth repeated, her stomach tight with dread.

"You really don't remember," Howzer replied, more a statement than a question.

Groaning, she dropped her head. "What did I do now?" she moaned.

She could practically _sense_ the way they shifted uncomfortably next to her, and then Jericho answered, "Yesterday, we were down in the town, and you overheard some merchants speaking badly of your father. They called him—some _things_ , and you got upset."

"You kind of made a scene," Howzer went on. "One said something about the Holy Knights putting the king out, and the other said that it wouldn't change anything since they are _all_ corrupt, and you—kind of—pushed over one of their stands."

"I—I—I did what?" she gasped, going frozen in shock. With wide eyes she stared back and forth at the two apprentices. "I broke someone's _stand_?"

"Well, not the _whole_ stand," reassured Jericho. "Just… part of it."

Elizabeth trembled for a moment, sucking in a deep breath. There is no way—no _way_ —that she had done such a thing. She covered her mouth with a hand, the other playing with her earring absentmindedly, wondering if this was real.

"Elizabeth? What's that on your arm?"

 _Her arm_. She looked down and remembered the writing and the notebook and how this kept happening, over and over. With a yelp she was up, grabbing her skirts as she ran back towards the castle, ignoring the shouts of her friends that followed behind her. She raced past the servants and visitors in the castle, hurrying through the corridors as her shoes made loud sounds on the steps as she took them as quickly as she could. When she reached her room finally, she grabbed her notebook and practically fell onto her bed, turning the pages frantically.

"What is this?" she hissed to herself. The notebook was covered in scribbles, the sloppy handwriting very different from her own elegant script. But she had seen it before, remembering the morning she found _Who are you?_ inexplicably written along with her speech.

Her eyes darted between the pages and her arm. It's the same script for sure, but how? How could someone be doing this?

 _Think, Elizabeth,_ she chided herself. Someone was sneaking into her room, writing on her arm, filling her notebook pages with questions asking her name, where they are, what was happening. But that couldn't be! No one could get into the room of a princess. No one could be doing all this without someone knowing, someone seeing. Besides, if this mystery person _was_ somehow leaving cryptic messages around, then what about the other oddities in her life? What about the missing time? Her unusual behavior? It was almost as if someone else is doing these things, while _she_ was somewhere _else_.

She stopped turning pages when she spied a picture of the castle façade. It was drawn perfectly to scale, and included little details like the scalloped windowsills and the broken wing on one of the goddess statues. Elizabeth had never been adept at drawing. But this sketch was beautiful, and as she traced the outline with her finger, she suddenly remembered her dream.

Elizabeth had been a boy in it, who worked at a tavern, the kind of life she had always dreamed would be fun. That boy had handwriting very similar to the one on her arm and in the pages of her book. _That_ boy had an entire book filled with _drawings_.

Again she looked at her arm, her eyes going wide, her mind refusing to acknowledge the connection in front of her. "Could this mean?" she said out loud. "In our dreams… that guy and I… Are we… _switching places_?"

* * *

"We're switching places," Meliodas groaned. He slumped forward onto the table, burying his head into his arms. Papers were strewn across it, notes about the previous day—another day he couldn't remember, another dream just out of reach—but he could not deny the truth any longer. There were too many strange coincidences, too many weird behaviors; there _had_ to be some magic at work.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Switching places?"

"In our dreams, this girl and I…" he muttered, pulling the pages forward to look over. "Two or three times a week," Meliodas continued, "I randomly and without warning switch places with Elizabeth. She is someone important, a princess perhaps, although I can't tell where exactly in Britannia. The trigger is sleep. The cause, unknown."

"Switching places," Ban repeated, leaning forward a bit in his chair.

"Any memories I have of the switch get more and more hazy after I wake up." He held up a paper with _her_ handwriting on it, listing theories about what was going on, and asking him questions about the tavern and his friends. "But there's no doubt we are switching places."

"Switching places!" Hawk squeaked, pulling himself up to sniff among the papers.

Meliodas looked back and forth between their blank expressions. "Don't you see? Haven't you noticed something… odd about me lately?"

Merlin cleared her throat. "Well, yes, as a matter of fact," she replied. "I just assumed you had been drinking."

Ban snorted as Meliodas shook his head. "This proves it. This isn't my writing. This isn't _me_. It's her, this girl who is in my body and I go into hers and—" Suddenly he cut off as he spied something on the page. "No, no, no, _how_ much did she spend on cake in town?"

"So you don't know why this is happening?" Ban asked, bringing him back to the conversation.

"No," he sighed, "it just started… a couple of weeks ago? I guess? How long have I been doing this?"

Ban scratched his chin. "At least that."

Meliodas turned to Merlin, and with a pleading look asked, "Will you please look into this? There has to be a spell, an enchantment, a curse— _something_ is making this happen."

"Of course, Captain," she chuckled, as Hawk banged a hoof on the table. "Whoever this girl is can only be an improvement!"

Gritting his teeth, he turned over another paper, and spied more of _her_ writing on the back. Meliodas nearly choked as he read:

 ** _RULES!  
_** _No rudeness!  
_ _No missing assignments!  
_ _NO baths, NO looking, NO TOUCHING! (Veronica TOLD me what you do… are you some kind of pervert?)_

"Pervert!" he exclaimed, feeling his face grow warmer. "Who does she think she is?"

"She certainly knows who _you_ are if she says you're a pervert," Hawk joked.

He ignored Ban's laugh as he furiously picked up a pencil. Sure, he _had_ taken a feel once or twice, but damn it he thought it was a dream! Besides, if _he_ was touching _her_ body, then it was only logical that _she_ would have to touch _him_ at least occasionally. Meliodas snickered to himself at the idea, grinning a bit at the thought of the princess with those lovely curves taking a peek of her own.

Drawing a line down to separate the page in half, he scribbled furiously on the other side:

 ** _RULES!  
_** _No sweets.  
_ _No sleeping in.  
_ _No buying anything!  
_ _No weird stuff!  
_ _Don't talk to my friends!_

Satisfied for the moment, he went back to her note.

 _Everyone is staring at me now, you keep upsetting everyone!  
_ _Keep your opinions to **YOURSELF**!_

With a twitch of his mouth, he wrote next to her looping script:

 _Maybe they just like **ME** more than **YOU**._

It was childish, he knew, but Meliodas felt justified as he continued to her next point:

 _Watch sitting in a skirt, this is basic for being a girl.  
_ _You should hire some more staff, it's too hard to run the bar myself!  
_ _The tavern is too much work!_

"I cannot believe this girl!" he muttered, writing:

 _Maybe I **COULD** hire more people if you stopped spending **my** money!_

"I wondered how you knew how to sew my skirt," Merlin mused aloud, and his eyes snapped up. "I should have known something was off."

"I did what?" he gaped, as she turned to show the hole that was stitched expertly.

Meliodas sighed and went back to reading. It was a bitter irony when he saw the next line:

 _Merlin is really pretty. You should treat her better, and get her a decent uniform. That thing is very indecent. You could have something special if you treated her like a LADY_. _I told her as much and she looked at me strangely. Haven't you ever complimented her before?_

His hand shook as he wrote in bold letters: _**STOP** MESSING WITH MY RELATIONSHIPS!_

Next he read: _Some young men in the academy have been sending me notes. It's not proper, and my father is going to be furious when he finds out! I don't want **any** suitors right now!_

To that, he simply added:

 _Same here! So forget about Merlin or **ANYONE ELSE** , I have something I'm trying to do!_

Satisfied, he gathered up the papers, meeting the gazes of his three friends, who had been simply watching him this whole time. "There," he said. "We have some basic rules now, so we both know what to do until this… phenomenon, whatever it is, stops."

"It would be helpful if we knew who this Elizabeth is," Merlin puzzled. "Do you recall meeting an Elizabeth at any time?"

A bit of heat went up the back of his neck. "A long time ago," he answered quickly, starting to gather up the papers into a neat stack. "But it can't be her, that was—too long ago. No one since."

"Still, a princess shouldn't be _too_ hard to track down. There are plenty of kingdoms in Britannia, and we just need to find one with a princess named Elizabeth."

"If she _is_ a princess," Ban chimed in as he drummed his fingers on the table. "If a princess was acting all—well, like the _Captain_ —wouldn't that news be out by now?"

Meliodas glared at him, but Merlin simply shook her head. "Not necessarily. But it's worth asking around about anyway."

He nodded, feeling better now that his friends were in the loop, and that he had some sense of what was going on. The sooner they found Elizabeth, and figured out what was causing this switching, the sooner they could get back to finding the others before the Ten Commandments made their appearance.

* * *

The sounds of the castle coming to life prodded him awake, and groggily Meliodas opened his eyes. He sighed as he stared at the now-familiar ceiling for a few minutes, knowing he was back in Elizabeth's body. With a grunt and a stretch he sat up, wanting to be up and ready _before_ Veronica burst into the door. He looked down and pulled the covers away, but paused when he took in the sight of the ample cleavage peeking out of the sleeping gown. Immediately he lifted his hands to take himself a helping.

It had been a few weeks since they had made their discovery and set down their rules, and they had switched back and forth at least a couple of dozen times. The notes and rules were helping things immensely, both now able to keep track of what the other was doing.

But Meliodas knew that what Elizabeth didn't know wouldn't hurt her. He considered her body just a perk of this whole ridiculous experience.

Still, he paused, and after a moment forced his hands back down in his lap. "I shouldn't, for _her_ sake," he said aloud. Pleased with this decision, Meliodas looked around the room… before his eyes dropped back down to the gorgeous pair of breasts that were just sitting there, waiting to be touched. "To hell with it," he muttered, and gave them a good squeeze, keeping his hands _outside_ the fabric this time as a compromise.

It was a strange sensation, being able to feel up such an enticing body, rolling the flesh in his hands in a very exploratory sort of way—plus with the added sensation of being on the receiving end. Experimentally he teased them a bit, closing his eyes with a sigh. Elizabeth's chest wasn't her _only_ tantalizing feature, but it was certainly the most fun.

As he continued his caresses, Meliodas thought about everything he had learned so far about the girl. She was the youngest, and rarely saw her father, the king. Meliodas had only seen him once, briefly, when he was called before him to answer for upsetting some of the staff. He chuckled to himself at that, being spoken to as if a child; it had been a _long_ time since that had happened, if ever. It struck him that his own father had been just as absent, and that he did not have a mother around, just like this princess. He also noted that he too was one of three children, although he had been the oldest.

Being a princess was so unlike his own experience growing up a prince in the demon realm that it was almost absurd. The amount of lessons every day, the _rules_ he had to follow, were sometimes maddening. Everything from how to sit to how to walk to how to eat was carefully managed by someone, and rarely did he get any free time as Elizabeth to do… well, anything else. Even as the manager and owner of a tavern, he had fun _sometimes_.

There was no alcohol for a princess, which was also hard. When he did sneak away, he would usually head down to where the apprentices gathered. He actually liked Jericho and Howzer a lot, and really liked their faces when he did a bit of showing off with a sword on the training fields. After that he had had several of the others—both boys and girls—approach him with blushing cheeks and stuttering compliments. Meliodas huffed a laugh as he wondered what Elizabeth had thought when she read about _that_.

The door slammed open, and there was Veronica, her arms folded as she laughed. "You sure to like feeling your own boobs, don't you?"

Meliodas looked at her oddly, still half in his daydream and not paying enough attention to understand. "Get up!" she yelled. "Let's go!"

Twenty minutes later, Meliodas entered the small breakfast room where her sisters were waiting. "Why are you dressed like that?" Veronica demanded as soon as she entered.

He looked down at the blue gown and pearls he wore. Quickly his mind flipped through the rules about clothing— _No bare legs, No bare shoulders, **ALWAYS UNDERWEAR**_ —unable to pinpoint what he had done wrong now. "What?" he asked with a frown.

"You were supposed to put on your formal clothes," Margaret admonished her gently. "Don't you remember? We are going to see the goddesses today."

"Sorry, I'll change after breakfast." Meliodas took his seat, eagerly reaching for the plate of ham set on the table, but then paused. "Wait, goddesses?" He looked at Margaret in surprise. "What goddesses?"

The princess smiled at him. "We are going to speak to them today, to thank them for the blessings. It's the follow-up to the ceremony."

Meliodas nodded, gulping down some water. For a moment, he had been worried. If there were any _real_ goddesses around, he could be in trouble. They would be able to sense he wasn't really Elizabeth in a second. But this sounded like just some superstitious thing. So he should be safe. _Should be_.


	4. A Precious Wish

**Chapter 4: A Precious Wish**

 _Ah, if only our voices speaking at night_  
 _Could ever reach the very edge of this world, and of time_  
 _Instead of fading into air and dust_  
 _Then what will the words, could it ever be_  
 _Farthest words from "probably"_  
 _Let's make a promise that will never fade_  
 _Let's say it together on the count of three_

* * *

As the three walked together through the castle, there was plenty of excited chatter filling the corridors. "What's going on?" Meliodas asked, looking around.

"Haven't you heard?" Veronica said in surprise, elbowing him a bit. "There is a comet that is coming. A star has been moving across the sky, but instead of going _over_ it's getting _closer_."

"A comet?" Meliodas frowned. He hadn't heard anything about that at all.

Margaret linked an arm through hers. "No need to worry," she assured him. "The Grand Masters have the top mages keeping tabs on it. We'll be able to see it up close in a couple of days. A once-in-a-lifetime event."

Meliodas nodded, for once keeping his opinion to himself. There had been plenty of superstitions regarding comets over the past few hundred years, some saying they bring luck, others disaster. There had been another not long ago, maybe, but the years all blurred together. The excitement regarding this one, however, was undeniable.

After walking down the main staircase, the princesses were greeted by a tall man with narrow eyes and a cold smile. Immediately Meliodas' warning bells went off in alarm. He knew this face, somehow, deciding he must have come across this person in the weeks he had been switching with Elizabeth. The rest of the hall was filled with dignitaries, knights, and noblemen, who all gave respectful bows to the princesses as they reached the bottom of the stairs. But when Margaret gave _him_ a curtsey, followed by the other two after another elbow from Veronica, Meliodas understood why he was familiar.

"Grand Master Hendrickson," Margaret said in greeting. "Thank you for accompanying us."

"It is my pleasure," the knight responded, his eyes sweeping over the three sisters. "Any chance to make an offering to the goddesses that watch over us is time well spent."

He offered an arm to the first princess, and she politely accepted. They walked in a procession of sorts, heading through a parted crowd towards an unfamiliar doorway. There were markings on the wooden frame, and the sun and crescent moon carved into the door itself. "Where are we going?" he whispered to Veronica, but the other girl just gave him a signal to be quiet.

Once they reached the door, he paused and said to the room, "The princesses will now give their thanks for the blessings of the goddesses. As a representative of the Druid race, who lives to serve our guardians, I will accompany them to the sacred place. Let us all now give thanks and prayers to our goddesses."

There was applause and polite cheers, along with calls of thanks and good wishes. Hendrickson smiled to the crowd, and after giving a little wave, led them through the doorway.

Meliodas had braced himself for _something_ … but what he did not expect was an empty hallway. He huffed a bit in a mixture of relief and disappointment, following the Holy Knight dutifully, their feet tapping on the stone the only sound. As they walked he thought about this one leading them, who called himself a _Druid_. Meliodas was more than familiar with that race of humans, whose ties to the goddesses were sometimes helpful and sometimes not. It had been many years since he had encountered one, many of them living in secret among the kingdoms.

This one in particular was a bit familiar. The name, at least, he had heard before; but was that _his_ memory, or was it something from being _Elizabeth_? He tried his best to remember, but it was difficult when he was in Elizabeth's body to remember his own life all that clearly. Furthermore, he had lived so very much life up until this point, many things were mixed-up or blended together on their own.

If he was a knight that Meliodas had once knew, he supposed he couldn't have been that bad, if he was alive and a Grand Master. The initial warning he had felt inside of his mind seemed to be fading, and again he wondered if it was a product of himself or Elizabeth. He would have to remember to write some questions for the princess about this one, so he could figure out this part of the mystery at least.

"Sir Hendrickson," Veronica suddenly asked, "why is the horn of the goddesses kept so far away from the surface?"

 _Horn?_ Meliodas wondered, but Hendrickson simply answered, "I don't really know."

"What horn?" he asked Veronica quietly, and the girl looked at him in surprise. "What? Everyone knows the Horn of Cernunnos."

Margaret looked over her head to shush them, when suddenly she lost her footing. "Look out!" Meliodas yelped, moving with lightning speed to catch her from falling. But Hendrickson grabbed her easily, giving him a strange look as he righted the princess. "There we are," he said, the cold look he had sent Meliodas' way replaced by a smooth smile at Margaret. "Must be careful down here."

They resumed their walk in silence, and Meliodas felt hot and uncomfortable. He needed to be more careful, and act more like Elizabeth. From what he understood of his counterpart in this, Elizabeth was a bit clumsy, and the one most likely to stumble down here herself. But the speed and skill he had just shown off reaching out for Margaret was enough to catch the eye of the Grand Master, he was sure, and silently cursed himself.

He busied himself looking at his surroundings as they walked, trying to get a clue to exactly _where_ Elizabeth lived. The walls were nondescript for the most part; this could be almost any castle in Britannia. He huffed a bit in frustration, until they came to a staircase. Then down, down, _down_ they went, one set of stairs after another, sometimes walking down hallways that were cut into the rock and the earth themselves.

It was dark, but Hendrickson was able to create a soft glowing orb that lit their way easily. At one point, the steps became so narrow that they had to walk single-file, Hendrickson at the lead. No one spoke as they made their descent, adding to the air of mystery and importance of this journey under the castle.

They reached a landing, then another archway, which took them through a tunnel that sloped downwards. _At least it's not more stairs_ , Meliodas thought to himself, as they continued to walk.

"Elizabeth," Hendrickson said suddenly, his voice echoing and making him jump to attention. "Do you know anything about the Horn of Cernunnos?"

"The Horn of Cernunnos?" he echoed in surprise.

Hendrickson did not turn back as he spoke, but his voice easily reached them all in the quiet. "It's what we use to communicate with the goddesses. It is a piece of one of the rulers of the clan, who had two great horns on the top of his head."

Meliodas frowned. He had never heard of a goddess with _horns_ before. "Cernunnos is the goddess of life, of abundance, and of fertility. He gifts Liones with many bounties as the goddess of both humans _and_ animals. But to be the goddess of life, she must also be the goddess of death."

"The goddess of death?" Veronica whispered, her voice uncharacteristically shaking.

"The generations of our people are a gift from the goddesses. When we connect to one another, and create life, it is a gift. The animals we use for food and work are a gift. They cannot live without us, and we cannot live without them. The flow of time itself is a gift as well. We move forward, never backwards. This is all a part of the goddess' power, and why we must give our praises and thanks."

"That is why we wear the symbol of our goddess, the sun and crescent moon," Margaret continued, looking over her shoulder. For the first time, Meliodas noticed she was wearing one blue earring, as she slid a finger over the bead. "We are all connected, from the farmers to the soldiers, the old to the young, the poorest beggar to the king himself. The sun and moon cannot live without one another. We are all a part of Cernunnos."

As if in reflex, Meliodas reached up and felt his own ear is empty. "It's okay, Elizabeth," Margaret laughed. "Even when you forget your earring, you are still blessed. Whether it is food, or drink, or the symbols we wear, whatever we have becomes part of our soul. It is one more way we are connected."

"That's why we make this journey," Hendrickson finished. "If Cernunnos was to abandon us, then we would lose our hold on time itself."

Their walk continued as they reached another set of stairs, this one more ancient than any of the others. The climb down was slow as they all fell back into silence, but Meliodas' mind was whirling. This is the first he had heard about this goddess, and he thought he had known quite a bit about this race. If the goddesses had been sealed away when the demons were, then how did they know all this? Was it just human superstition? Or was there really a goddess at the bottom of these stairs, controlling Britannia in his web?

And if Cernunnos did exist, did it have anything to do with what was happening to him and Elizabeth?

"Is this it?" Veronica asked when they hit the bottom.

Hendrickson did not answer, but simply led the way into the next chamber, where a faint violet-colored glow was coming from around the corner. Meliodas followed slowly, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of what lay beyond. A huge twisted horn, just as Hendrickson had described, hung suspended in a chamber that was at least a hundred feet high, and as wide as the entire castle. No wonder they had to travel down so far to the entrance; the top of the chamber was probably only a few feet under the floor of the castle. It was covered in a warm glow, seemingly lit from everywhere and nowhere. Nothing else stood in the empty, dark room.

"This is it," he whispered. "The sacred relic of the Horn of Cernunnos."

The princesses stood together at the entrance. "When you enter this chamber," Hendrickson warned, "you are passing from our world to that of the goddesses. It's the netherworld. In order to return to our own, you must leave behind what is most important to you."

"What do you mean?" Meliodas demanded.

Hendrickson smiled, his face partially lit from the glow. "No need to be alarmed, Your Highness. The goddess will take your most precious wish. After all, it is a part of you."

From inside his pocket he pulled out three scrolls with three lumps of lead. "Write your true wish, and leave it at the base of the relic."

 _Elizabeth's most precious wish_ , he thought, looking down at the empty scroll.

Margaret went first, followed by Veronica. Quickly Meliodas scribbled onto the parchment, and then entered the chamber. The horn seemed to grow a bit brighter as he approached, but he told himself it was only his imagination. Not wanting to stay a moment longer than he had to, he placed the rolled-up scroll at the base of the horn next to the other two and hurried back outside of the room where the others are waiting.

"There we are," Hendrickson smiled. "That wasn't too bad, was it?"

Meliodas shook his head, despite the uneasy feeling inside of his stomach. The way the Grand Master was looking at him also made him uneasy, and he turned away, busying himself with studying the carvings on the wall of the chamber. "Now we have to climb back _up_ ," Veronica groaned. "It's probably already almost night. By the time we get back we might miss the comet."

"The comet?" he echoed, remembering the conversations from earlier.

"Elizabeth," Hendrickson said, and he looked up at the Holy Knight. "You're dreaming right now, aren't you?"

Meliodas gasped, and sat up in bed.

For several moments he sat there, unmoving, staring at his dresser and the door that would lead him into the hallway, which led to the stairs, which in turn led to the main room of the Boar Hat. He struggled to catch his breath, the heavy feeling from his dream fading rapidly even as his heart continued to pound.

To his surprise, his cheeks felt wet and his vision blurred. Tears were rolling down his face, and he blinked for a moment to clear his eyes. He raised a hand and brushed at the wetness, looking down at his fingers in confusion. "I'm crying?" he wondered aloud. "But why?"

A paper was sticking out from underneath his door, and Meliodas climbed out of bed and padded over to pick it up. It was in Merlin's handwriting, and to his disbelief he read:

 _I have an errand to run, so I will meet you in the village instead of here. Ten o'clock._

"What?" he looked out the window and saw it had to be nearly that time; another glance at the old clock on the wall confirmed it was half past nine.

Meliodas looked around in confusion and spotted the papers on the table. He hurried to pick up the top, seeing Elizabeth's familiar script as she described the day before during their switch. His eyes widened as he read, when finally it ended with: _Took the initiative for you and asked Merlin to go on a date to the village. There is a fair going on, so buy her something she likes, and take her somewhere for lunch!_

"Date!" he exclaimed.

Less than five minutes later, he was dressed and running down the steps, not bothering to answer the calls from Ban and Hawk as he dashed through the main room. The bell above the door jingled as he left, trotting down the path that connected to the road to the village.

"Elizabeth, what did you _do_?" he muttered under his breath. It was a beautiful morning, with a clear blue sky and plenty of birds singing happily. When he reached the road, it was surprisingly busy, as carts and horses and people streamed into the village. He easily weaved in and out of the crowd, having no idea where to start looking for their meeting place. As he passed the entrance to the town, he checked the sign and read: _Bernia_.

"We're in Bernia already? How much did I miss?" He shook his head, filled with the cobwebs of yesterday in the palace, remembering something about steps and a wish. People were everywhere now, dozens and dozens of stands popping up all over, the stores and cafes and bars with doors open. For a moment he grumbled, thinking to go back and move the Boar Hat closer so _they_ could cash in on the day. That's what _he_ would have done to learn there was a festival in the next town, not ask Merlin out on a damn date.

When he reached the center of town, there was no sign of the mage, so he took a second to catch his breath. A clock at the top of a church signaled it was exactly ten o'clock. In the middle of the town center stood a fountain; Meliodas wandered over towards it, looking side to side through the crowds for any sign of Merlin.

"Hey there, Captain," a voice said in his ear, causing him to jump.

He spun, huffing out a startled laugh. "Hey, Merlin!"

She smiled in her mysterious way at him. "Have you been waiting long?"

"Yeah. I mean…" He ran a nervous hand through his hair, internally growling at Elizabeth. Merlin stood staring at him, her hands folded and her lips turned up, and he swallowed thickly. "No, I just got here."

"Thank goodness. Let's go."

Merlin grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the first line of stands, and for a moment Meliodas could only follow in shock. But then he caught himself and tugged on her hand. She stopped and looked back at him, her brows raising a bit in surprise. "Merlin," he said, stammering a bit, "I'm sorry, but—it wasn't me who did this—I mean, not that this isn't—what I'm trying to say is—"

The mage laughed, shaking her head. "I know that, Captain. It was Elizabeth who arranged today. I can tell the difference between her flirting and yours." Meliodas choked at that, his cheeks burning, as she let go of his hand. "I didn't want her to be disappointed, in case she was the one to wake up here today. But we're here now, and there are a lot of things to see. So why don't we just have some fun, for her sake?"

"Yes, that sounds great," he breathed with a sigh of relief.

Their first stop was the church, which had opened its doors to allow visitors to climb into the clock tower. Merlin eagerly pointed out the towns they could see all the way at the top, even launching into the way the building was constructed and how the giant clock worked.

Meliodas, however, just took in the sight of Britannia, which seemed to stretch on forever. When was the last time he did just this, just take some time, and enjoy the beauty of the world? Or even the company of someone else? His thoughts went briefly to Elizabeth, trying to see things through her eyes. He had travelled all over for three thousand years, seeing every part of the world. But had he ever really _looked_? He imagined that Elizabeth would be awed, if she were there instead of him, and it made him even more curious about the girl he knew so much about, and yet almost nothing at all.

Next they went to find some lunch. They ended up going to a café Elizabeth frequented, which Meliodas learned when the waitress came hurrying over. "Sir, you're back again! And with a lovely young lady I see!" She beamed as she handed them menus. "I'll have your usual coffee ready, but I'll be right back to hear the rest of what you want!"

"This is nice. It's my first time here." He gaped a bit at Merlin, who was chuckling a bit. "Is this one of your regular spots?"

"No!" exclaimed Meliodas, waving his hand around. "It's too expensive."

Her eyebrow arched a bit at that, and with an embarrassed flush he busied himself in the menu.

After lunch, they headed back into the streets. There were stalls of fabrics, produce, jewelry, livestock, and more kinds of ale than he had ever imagined. Meliodas rubbed his hands together eagerly to dig in, but since Merlin was more interested in the antiques and baubles, he was only able to hit a couple of the stands he wanted. As he stood next to the mage who discussed the herbs on display in one booth, he looked longingly down the stone street a bit at another that had ten different types of samples from their brewery. Ten!

He looked back at Merlin, who was tasting something that looked to him like dead weeds, and sighed. _I don't know how to talk to her_ , he thought sadly. They had been friends for years and years, and he realized he didn't know that much about her at all.

Meliodas stuffed his hands in his pockets, when he felt something brush his fingers. They closed around a piece of paper, which he pulled out and opened. Somehow, he was not surprised to see Elizabeth's handwriting on it.

 _If you are finding this, then I suppose we are back in our normal places. I was really looking forward to today, so if it just so happens that_ you _are there instead of me, you better enjoy it!_

 _At any rate, you probably are having a hard time on your date—have you ever even been on a single one? That's why I've written some reminders below to help you out:_

 _Don't talk about alcohol, it's boring._

 _Give her compliments, and lots of them._

 _Remember to smile. But not in a weird way._

 _Please tell me you brushed your hair._

"She's making fun of me," he growled, crumpling up the paper in his fist.

"What was that?" Merlin asked, looking over at him.

Meliodas shook his head, and together they continued walking. Down another street, artists had hung up drawings and paintings for sale, and Merlin gave a little noise of delight as she moved towards them. Meliodas followed behind, taking his time looking through the artwork. Just one more thing he had never really done, he realized as his eyes moved over the figures and still-lifes and landscapes.

One artist sat on the ground, his ink drawings lined up on the ground beside him. Meliodas followed Merlin as she walked slowly, looking at each one, when one in particular caught his eye. Stopping to crouch down and take a closer look, he gave a little gasp. It was familiar, so _incredibly_ familiar, the drawing of a city he had never seen except in a dream somewhere. At the center was a castle, with a large wall and the main section going up impossibly high in the air, towering over all. Flags flew from the turrets, with the crest of a sun and crescent moon.

He could not drag his eyes away, until the next one caught his eye. Next to the drawing of the castle that seemed to grip his heart into a vise, was another, but this time of the inside of the tower. There was a courtyard with a familiar arch, one that he realized he had drawn himself and stashed into his drawer with all the others. He felt his palms break out into a sweat as his vision swam with hovering tears.

Merlin crouched down next to him, peering at the picture that had him enraptured. "You know something, Captain," she said quietly. He glanced over at her, finding her expression serious. "Even though it's you today, you still seem like a different person." With that cryptic message she stood and continued walking, and he turned to stare at the picture again.

The sun was going down, and together they circled back to the center of town. "Merlin, are you getting hungry? We can get dinner."

"Let's call it a day," she answered.

She continued walking, but Meliodas paused. "A-all right," he stammered out. He felt foolish for asking—this wasn't even a date!—but also, somehow, worried about what Elizabeth would say.

Merlin noticed he had stopped, and turned to give him a smile. "Correct me if I'm wrong," she murmured. "And I'm sorry if I am. But you've never, not even once, had feelings for me, have you? Not even a little?"

"Uhh—" This was _not_ what he expected! "No, it's not that—"

"But right now, I have a feeling you do, just for someone else."

His mouth dropped open a bit, and then he rubbed his hand on his face. "No. There's no one, really." She just stared at him waiting, and Meliodas scratched his ear. "Really, it's not like that."

"Are you sure about that?" she teased, leaning in to look at him closely.

He stammered a bit more, but she took pity on him and chuckled. "All right then. Thanks for today. I'll see you back at the Boar Hat."

She walked away, in the opposite direction, and Meliodas watched her go, his heart still racing.


	5. The Comet

**Chapter 5: The Comet**

 _The sorrowful gust of wind that blew right between you and me_  
 _Where did it find the loneliness it carried on the breeze?_  
 _Speeches that my father gave me would always make me despair  
_ _Somehow, I feel a warmth and comfort today_

 _Now, just a little more  
_ _Only just a little more  
_ _Let's stick together just a little bit longer_

* * *

Elizabeth woke up with a groan. She sat up, stretching her sore shoulders, turning her face to the light streaming through the window. With a heavy sigh she realized she was home. No date with Merlin today after all. "Oh well," she whispered sadly.

Carefully she got up, padding barefoot to the basin of water to splash her face. Her legs were tired and her back was stiff, and she wondered what in the world Meliodas had been doing in her body the day before. "Probably best not to think about it," she muttered to herself.

The water was refreshing and cool, and after drying her face on a towel, she straightened to look in the mirror over her vanity. There didn't seem to be a note from him, which was odd, although she'd check her notebook more thoroughly later. She couldn't _wait_ to return, hopefully tomorrow, and hear about how the date went. "Must be nice," she sighed, and tucked her hair behind her ear. She opened the little box in which she kept her earring and slipped it into its place on her lobe. "They've probably met up about now."

Leaning in to check that the symbol was facing outwards, Elizabeth gasped when she locked eyes with her reflection. "What?" she whispered, watching tears roll down her cheeks. "Why am I…?" Crying wasn't something unusual for the princess, but for the life of her, she could not remember even beginning.

* * *

When he returned to the Boar Hat, Meliodas went back through the notes she had left. There were just a few things about the service and her thoughts on Ban's rabbit stew, plus a reminder to clean his washroom. Meliodas rolled his eyes, turning the page.

 _By the time your date is over, you will probably be able to see the comet! It is supposed to be amazing. I hope things go well for you today._

"Comet?" he said aloud. For a second he glanced out the window, just to be sure, but there was nothing but the ordinary night sky. "Weirdo," he muttered.

The bar was quiet with the patrons down at the village, so he took the time to do some sketching, an activity which always allowed him to relax and reset. Many times he would not even pay attention to what he was doing, allowing his pen to just dance across the page as he became lost in the quiet and his own thoughts. Now, he thought about Merlin, and the date, and the pictures that had given him pause. He should have asked the artist about them, and tried to figure out why they felt so real.

Then his mind drifted to Elizabeth. Absentmindedly he put his hand in his pocket, and his fingers brushed something small and round. Meliodas frowned when he lifted the object out, turning over the little blue bead in his fingers. It was a bauble he had picked up from the fair, he decided, while out on the "date" Elizabeth had set up. She was going to be annoyed with him, for sure! Yet he only chuckled to think of the note she would be leaving him when she found out he blew it with Merlin. He placed the bead on the table before pulling out another page, and looked down at the picture he had drawn the day before.

It was similar to the one he had seen at the fair, the archway and door in the courtyard of the castle. Of course—this was where they had walked to visit the goddess. Meliodas frowned a bit with the memory, as hazy as it was. The goddesses should be gone just as must as the demons were. Did their return mean something? Was it connected to the signs that the Ten Commandments were _also_ returning?

He needed to find this horn, he decided. And besides, he figured, it was time for him to meet Elizabeth. Pulling out a fresh sheet, he refilled his ink and wrote:

 _Elizabeth, where are you in Britannia? I have some questions, and I would like to see you._

There was more he wanted to say, a _lot_ more, but for now, he figured that was enough.

* * *

Elizabeth sighed as she closed her notebook. The light in her room was getting darker, the glow growing harsh as the sun was setting. Meliodas had left her only a few vague notes, just a few more sketches of the Boar Hat to explain where to put things, along with a little map of Britannia to show their path. Somewhere out there, Meliodas was nearby, and it gave her heart a bit of a twist.

There was a knock on the door, and one of her ladies appeared. "Your Highness," she said with a bow, "you have a visitor."

"Oh?" she asked curiously. Elizabeth had never had a visitor before.

She stood as Jericho barreled into the room, pushing out the servant and shutting the door. Elizabeth smiled warmly, but her smile turned into an expression of alarm when she saw the fury on Jericho's face. "Where have you been!?" her friend cried. "You didn't go to your class today, or show up for lunch, and no one knew where you went! Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry," she sighed, sitting back in her chair. "I just didn't feel like it much today, that's all. I'm fine."

"Well," Jericho fumed, tapping her foot. "I guess… I can't argue with that. But you did worry me. And Howzer."

Elizabeth looked back down at the journal, running the palm of her hand over the cover. "Are you still coming tonight?" Jericho prodded.

"Huh?" She blinked at her friend in confusion, and then the princess nodded. "Yes. The comet. That's tonight, isn't it?"

"Yes, it will be bright enough to see tonight," prompted Jericho. "Don't you remember? The king is opening the towers so everyone can get a spot to see. Everyone who is anyone will be here tonight."

"Right." Elizabeth pushed the journal away, standing and heading for her closet. "I suppose I should get ready then."

"So you are coming?"

The princess stopped and nodded. "Yes, definitely." Beaming at her friend, she gestured to the door. "Let's meet in the main hall at sundown, okay? Then we can all go up to watch together."

Jericho looked at her for a long moment, and then nodded. "Okay. I'll tell Howzer, and we will see you there."

Two hours later, Elizabeth came down the stairs of the castle, heading towards the dining room. She had received word as she was getting dressed that her father expected her at dinner; of course, the king could not be refused a meal.

She was dressed in her formal gown, the color the deep blue of a twilight sky, in hopes that it would please him after he saw the change she had made. And for a moment when she arrived, she thought it worked. The dining room was silent as she walked inside, her hands clasped and her eyes down. But then an elaborate gasp escaped Margaret as she squealed, "Elizabeth, what have you done!"

A bit sheepishly, Elizabeth twirled the end of her hair around her finger, the length now to her shoulders instead of to her waist. "What happened to you?" Veronica demanded.

Elizabeth chuckled. "I guess… it's weird?" she murmured, and then finally looked up.

Her sisters' faces were almost comical, the way their eyes and their mouths gaped open wide. Margaret began to blink rapidly, as if not believing her eyes, as Veronica's shocked expression slowly melted into a smile that twisted her lips in a way that showed she was impressed. But her father's face was cold, his frown stoic, and he did not look at all pleased.

Quickly she curtseyed and scurried over to her place at the table. All three girls sat at the same time, and as the food began to be placed before them, the king said, "Elizabeth, explain yourself."

She took a deep breath and looked up into her father's eyes. "I needed to change it," she answered simply.

"Does it have to do with—a boy?" Margaret asked gently. "Did someone break your heart?"

"Why do you assume it has to do with _that_?" Veronica snapped. "She said she wanted to change it, so she changed it."

Elizabeth's face flushed with heat, but she looked up gratefully at her sister. "Are you sure—you wanted to cut _that_ much off?" Margaret asked tightly, and Elizabeth nodded in response.

No one else said a word about her hair, the meal continuing on in a heavy silence. The food was delicious, but Elizabeth could barely enjoy it as she felt her father's eyes on her. When they were nearly finished, Margaret piped up, "You will both be out among the people tonight, correct? The king has graciously allowed many of our noblemen and ladies into the castle for viewing of the comet."

"It wasn't my idea," Baltra said gruffly. "It was Hendrickson's. I don't know why he wants everyone here _tonight_ , but he was quite insistent."

"It was very kind of the Grand Master," Margaret went on smoothly. "Just please be sure to have a guard with you tonight. The Grand Master wishes us to be well protected, just in case."

"In case of what?" Veronica laughed. "We're in our _own_ castle."

Elizabeth watched as Margaret gave a shrug. "I'm not sure. Perhaps he's worried that some of the people may be frightened of the comet, and act strangely? He did not give details, just instructions that we should have a Holy Knight with us at all times tonight."

"If he was that damn worried, he shouldn't have invited them in the first place," Baltra grumbled.

For once, Elizabeth agreed. Why bring in all the nobles if only to keep them at arm's length? For her part, she was glad to have already made arrangements to meet Jericho and Howzer. Even though they weren't fully inducted Holy Knights yet, she was sure they would do just fine. "If you say so," Veronica sighed. Then she leaned in to Margaret and teased, "Are you sure this isn't just some ruse to get yourself alone with Gilthunder?"

"Veronica!" she yelped, and Elizabeth joined in with her sister's laughter.

They lapsed back into silence, and when dessert was served, Margaret leaned towards her and whispered, "Elizabeth?"

She raised her eyes to her sister, who was looking back with a confused look. "Where is your earring?"

Elizabeth shook her head, her hand going to the lobe. She was unsure of what to say, so remained silent; Margaret frowned and went back to her food. The meal now completed, they were dismissed by the king; but of course, he held Elizabeth back when the others left.

"After this nonsense tonight is over," her father warned, "we will be discussing your recent behavior. I don't understand what has gotten into you lately."

Immediately her cheeks flared pink. "I'm sorry," she said gently. "I've been having some—"

"Your problems are secondary to the kingdom, Elizabeth," he scolded. "You may not know this, but things are not going as well as they should right now." She looked up at him in surprise, but instead of explaining what he meant, the king went on, "The royal family must be a united front now more than ever. Any excuse at all they would have to overthrow me, they will take it. You must remember that."

"Overthrow? You?" she squeaked. "But how?"

Baltra pursed his lips together. "Nevermind. But that is _enough_ of all this. Go see this ridiculous comet because that is what is expected, but after that, you will be under my thumb. No more freedoms until you can prove you can be trusted."

Elizabeth gasped, but he turned away, calling for his guard in a way of dismissal. Her face burning, she hurried from the room. Her skin was hot and itchy in the formal dress, and it hindered her from running as fast as she would like. All at once she needed fresh air, needed it _now_ , and her throat burned with tears that threatened to spill.

Her father wanted to take her freedom. But what freedom did she have? Every minute was scheduled, every move watched. She thought about Meliodas then, a little sob escaping. If _he_ had been _here_ , then she would not have cut her hair, would not have possibly fallen under the scrutiny of the king by garnering unnecessary attention. And if the king _had_ still issued such a threat, she was sure Meliodas would not have stood for it. He would have made a case and defended himself, perhaps even changed his mind.

Her stomach was turning when she arrived at the courtyard. It was teeming with people, and with a bit of difficulty she finally located her two friends. "Elizabeth!" Jericho shrieked, several heads turning towards them. "What in the world!"

Shyly she tucked her hair behind her ear, the bead that dangled from her lobe feeling reassuring against her knuckles. "I know, I know, I—"

"It's—different," Howzer remarked. "But it's good. I like it."

Elizabeth looked up, surprised to see him smiling at her. Howzer nudged Jericho, who nudged him back and proclaimed, "Yes! It is, it's good. You look good."

"Thanks," she answered gratefully. She watched as her two friends exchanged a glance, and again she was reminded of Meliodas, and how _he_ also had two friends that would give each other a similar look. It was one more way they were connected, in a sea of things that made them so very different.

"Well, come on," Howzer said finally. "Let's head up to one of the catwalks. We'll try to find somewhere not too crowded."

They walked together, the two knights flanking the princess, and she remembered what her sister had told them. "You'll need to stay by me all night," Elizabeth explained. "The Grand Master is worried about the safety of the royal family tonight."

"Huh." Both girls looked at Howzer, who was scratching his head. "That's… odd."

"Why is that odd?" asked Jericho.

"Because he sent all the knights _out_ ," he explained. "Didn't you hear the orders that came after dinner? Holy Knights were sent into the city to patrol. There are only a dozen here in the castle."

Jericho snorted. "I bet who we can guess _they_ are."

Elizabeth frowned. "What do you mean? What's going on?" She remembered the stern warning in the dining hall, how confusing it all was. "Who are _they_?"

"Elizabeth, haven't you been paying attention?" She winced, knowing she most definitely had _not_ , as Howzer leaned in a bit. "Hendrickson and Dreyfus have been at odds lately. There is something brewing between the two Grand Masters. So Hendrickson has been slowly building his own faction of knights. There are about two dozen that now answer to him, and him alone. They call themselves the New Generation."

Elizabeth processed this as they walked. "Why would he do that?" she wondered. "He answers to the king. Why would he do something so underhanded?"

"He's not answering to the king, not any more," Jericho explained. "It's been made quite clear that Hendrickson is running things, not Baltra."

"What?" Her mind whirled, but before she could say anything else, her two friends pressed closer. Jericho shushed her, and together they stopped, the two knights giving a bow.

Elizabeth looked around, her eyes growing wide as Hendrickson approached. "Good evening," he said pleasantly, as both knights answered, "Good evening, Sir!" He smiled at them as they straightened before his eyes landed on the princess. For the first time, she did not trust that smile, imagining something very sinister behind it.

"Your Highness, you look well." Hendrickson's voice was flat, even with the cordial tone. "I trust you are enjoying the evening. But where is your guard?"

"I am well, thank you—and I have a guard, these two knights—"

"Nonsense," he interrupted. "You need a real guard. You can never be too careful."

He turned to look for a Holy Knight, and while his back was turned, she spun towards Jericho in alarm. But the girl did not return her look; instead, her eyes were steady on Howzer's, the two seemingly communicating without even speaking.

Before she could ask what was going on, Hendrickson's attention was back on them. "As we wait, allow me to ask you something, Your Highness." Elizabeth pressed her lips together and nodded. "When we were visiting the Horn of Cernunnos, what was the wish you left for the goddess?"

"The wish?" She could not remember that at _all_ , so it must have been Meliodas who went down to the horn. Elizabeth herself had never visited, this being her first year old enough to participate in the goddess rituals. But she had heard the stories, and her mind raced coming up with something to say. What if Hendrickson knew this answer already? Was this just a trick? What would Meliodas have written?

"Isn't it bad luck, Sir?" Jericho asked. "Like telling your birthday wish."

Hendrickson narrowed his eyes a bit, but then gave a small chuckle. "You are right. I should not have asked." His gaze returned to the princess as he studied her. "Are you feeling better? You seemed not quite yourself."

"I'm well, thank you again," she demurred. "May we continue on, Sir? I don't want to miss the comet, as pleasant as this is."

He looked back and forth between the two knights. "Fine," he said, his voice agitated. "There's not much time until the comet makes its appearance. Take her to the side over there, but no further until a fully ranked knight joins you." Hendrickson stepped aside with a sweep of his hand, and Elizabeth nodded in thanks. But as she stepped to the side, she tripped somehow, giving a yelp of surprise as she tipped forward. The Holy Knight grabbed her by the arm, pulling her upright, the smile never having left his face. "Be careful, my lady," he whispered. "You seem much clumsier than yesterday."

Elizabeth nodded, pulling away. Her pulse raced as the three walked away, wondering what he could have meant by that. Yesterday she was Meliodas; did he do something to catch the attention of the Grand Master?

"He tripped her, did you see?" hissed Howzer, and Jericho nodded. "We need to get out of here."

"But how?" worried Jericho.

"I can see it! I can see it!"

A cry went up among the crowd, and all three looked at the sky. The comet appeared, a glowing ball of white that was streaking across the dark blue canvass. Elizabeth gasped, watching, not noticing as the cheers surrounding her were becoming frantic, not hearing the cries of excitement turn into cries of horror, not feeling the heat of flames or breathing the choking air filling with ash. All she could see was the comet, her thoughts on Meliodas, wondering if he was watching this now, just as she was.

* * *

Meliodas was surprised to find himself in the Boar Hat in the morning. Quickly he hurried out of bed, eagerly looking through the papers on top. But there was no note from Elizabeth, no answer to his question.

With a frown, he glanced over at the calendar he had tacked to the wall a few weeks ago. He and Elizabeth would put an X through the day before turning in for bed, to try to keep the days in good order. But the last X on the calendar was the one he had written, the day of his date with Merlin; that meant that it was the second day without a switch.

Unusual, but not unheard-of. "I guess I'll just have to wait until we switch back," he murmured, leaving the papers undisturbed on the table, placing the blue bead on top. "She'll read about how lousy the date was tomorrow."

That's what Meliodas thought. But somehow, the switches he and Elizabeth had been going through up until now never happened again.


	6. Liones Castle

**Chapter 6: Liones Castle**

 _Even if you're not around in this wide world_  
 _Of course it surely would have some kind of meaning_  
 _But if when you're not around in this crazy world_  
 _Would be like the month of August without summer break_  
 _And if you're not around in this great world_  
 _Would be like Santa Claus without any glee_  
 _If you're not around in this wide world_

* * *

The days turned into weeks, and slowly Meliodas' room became covered in pictures. Instead of keeping them locked in his drawer, he would hang the sketches up, trying to recreate larger images: the courtyard, the dining hall, Elizabeth's room, the doorway to the underground. There were figure drawings of the Holy Knights and of the dresses the princess had worn, lists of names that only sounded half-correct. One section by the window was covered in two dozen papers all filled with the sun and crescent moon symbols. Again, none of them were quite right, but he would stand and stare at them, wondering what he was missing.

The collection of papers and the disappearance of wall space was the only indicator to Meliodas that time was actually passing, because every day was the same: wake up, get dressed, prep the tavern, complete a service, move on. His evenings were spent in his room drawing instead of sharing a drink with Ban or a word with Merlin; his days were a blur of getting done chores and tasks and running errands so he could scour whatever town they were in for something familiar.

He slept, he ate, he drew. He poured drinks, he counted change, he drew. He washed tables, he tied his boots, he drew. He read and re-read and read again Elizabeth's notes to him, hunting, searching, praying for some clue. For hours he would sit, sketching, staring, wondering where she was, wondering where he would wake up in the morning. Often Meliodas would go back over the papers, erasing and redrawing tiny details, rolling the little blue bead through his fingers.

Until one day, as he looked out his bedroom window into the morning light, Meliodas recognized something. They had arrived somewhere new in the night, the tavern now still and settled, and curiously he looked outside to see where they were. But as his eyes traveled over the scenery, they paused at what lay beyond. It was just a bit of mountain, at least a couple hundred miles in the distance; but in the cloudless sky, with his sharp eyes and the bright visibility of the horizon, he saw something _familiar_ in the way the tops formed a smooth, rolling pattern.

Quickly he ran to look through his sketches. One by one he pulled them from the tacks keeping them pinned to the wall, shuffling the papers as he returned to the window. He held up a picture of the castle, of the training fields, of the church, of the city surrounding. But when he flipped to a picture of Elizabeth's room, he noticed the shapes he had drawn in the window. With a slightly trembling hand he lifted the paper, comparing Elizabeth's view to his own. There was no mistaking it: the mountain range was the same shape.

Meliodas was dressed and stuffing the drawings in a bag within moments before flying out the door. "Captain!" he heard called after him, but there was no time to stop. He hurried away from the tavern and headed straight for the town that was just below the rise where Hawk Mama had stopped.

It took less than fifteen minutes for Meliodas to reach the village. A sign read "Dalmary Town" on the side of the road just before the line of buildings began. It was unlike the smaller, more rural towns they had visited in their trek across Britannia. Dalmary had cobblestone streets, buildings lined up neatly with two or even three stories, shops and merchants already preparing for the day. He would have been impressed with the seeming modernity of an otherwise unremarkable place, complete with a fountain in the city center, if he had not been so focused on his task.

For a while he wandered around, looking for the celestial symbols, for a familiar face, for _anything_ that made sense. As the minutes ticked by Meliodas became more and more frustrated. Finally he rounded a street corner, and stopped short in surprise. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

Ban stood with an unreadable expression on his face while Merlin chuckled. "We figured you must have found something, so we came to help."

"You two should be up at the tavern," he scolded, anxious to be rid of them and resume his search.

Ban waved him off. "Don't worry, Master's got it covered. He'll have everything set for tonight."

"Oh, so you're all in on it?"

Reaching out, Ban grabbed Meliodas and wrapped him up under his arm in a headlock. "Now, where is the girl?"

"She's not _here_ ," Meliodas grunted as he pushed him off. "I thought I saw something familiar and came to check it out, is all. I don't need your help."

"You've got everyone worried about you," Ban replied with a bit of a yawn, raising his hands to link behind his head. "We can't ignore this. What if someone is trying to pull something on you?"

"What do you mean?" frowned Meliodas.

"It could be a spell," Merlin mused. "Or a sickness?"

Ban snorted. "Maybe Captain hit his head."

"I did not!" he hollered, drawing eyes from a few people around.

Leaning over a bit to look Meliodas in the eye, Ban said slowly, "We all know you've been acting fishy lately, and that's why. So we're keeping an eye on you."

"I don't need a babysitter!" Meliodas growled. The three had a stare-off that lasted several long, tense moments before the Captain heaved a sigh. "Fine. The switches stopped. I haven't had a note from Elizabeth in weeks. That's why I decided I needed to see Elizabeth in person. I want to see her, but…"

Both of his friends looked at him expectantly, so he opened his bag and pulled out the drawings. "This is all I know."

Merlin shuffled through the pictures as Ban peered over her shoulder. "You mean to say you don't know _where_ this girl is?" Her sharp yellow eyes snapped up at him. "All you have to go on is some landscape?"

"Yeah," he answered sheepishly.

He took back the pictures and began to walk down the next street, the other two Sins flanking either side. "And there's no way to contact her?" Merlin asked. "You didn't have a place you agreed to meet?"

Meliodas shook his head as Ban complained, "Where even are we? You are a terrible tour guide."

"That's because I'm not," he snapped in reply.

"Well, that's why we are going to help you search," Merlin grinned.

Together the three began combing each street of Dalmary. The morning was bright and warm, so people were spilling out of their homes to go about their usual business. Women headed for shops and men swept doorways, children hurried to lessons as soldiers patrolled. It was as ordinary of a town as one could hope to find, and it had a bit of everything.

"Look Captain, this one has Vanya!" Ban called, tugging on Meliodas' sleeve to steer him towards a tavern. "Let's see if she's in there!"

"No," he warned, knowing it would be Ban's last stop.

"Ohhh," Merlin breathed at a storefront window. "So rare to find a bookseller outside of the capital cities! I'll go see if they know anything."

"Are you serious?" he grumbled, knowing it would be Merlin's.

They spoke to shopkeepers, bakers, soldiers, the blacksmith, two sisters who were hatmakers, an apothecary, a barber, three scribes, a physician, the moneylender, clothiers, the constable, various children, and even a minstrel also wandering through town. Or rather, Meliodas spoke to them, showing them pictures of the castle and the courtyard, asking after a girl named Elizabeth, while Ban and Merlin tried some of the local food and purchased some items from the merchant carts. But no one had any answers.

As noon approached, the three took a break to sit by the fountain and splash a bit of water on their hot faces and necks. With a sigh Meliodas plopped down, resting his hands on his knees and dropping his head forward. "This is a lost cause," he groaned.

"What!" the other two shouted, their voices shocked. "After everything that we've done for you today?" Merlin scolded.

With a growl Meliodas looked between the two of them. "You haven't _done_ anything."

"Let's get some lunch," Ban suggested. "Some food will help."

He heaved the Captain up by the arm and pulled him towards a small pub just across the way, Meliodas muttering as they stepped inside. It was empty, much darker and cooler than the outside, and when the door shut the quiet was a bit of a relief. A woman hurried out from the back and seated them at a table and informed them that rabbit stew was ready. Each of them ordered a bowl, and she returned minutes later with the steaming stew and a small loaf of bread.

They ate in silence for a bit, all of them hungry from the morning and the mystery, until Meliodas said, "Do you think if we head back to the Boar Hat, we'll have time to do a service tonight?"

"I _told_ you, Master has it covered," Ban grinned, leaning over the table. Meliodas shot him a look that made his friend laugh. "Yeah, yeah. We'll be cutting it close. But probably, if you wanted."

"Wait, Captain," Merlin interrupted as she put down her spoon. "Are you really sure about this?"

Meliodas lifted his bowl and drained the broth, licking his lips when he replaced it on the table. "Yeah," he answered with a sigh of satisfaction. "I think I've been barking up the wrong tree with this whole thing."

Ban and Merlin both seemed to deflate a bit, which surprised him, realizing now that they were just as invested as he in figuring out this mystery. They returned to their meal, and he pulled out one of the drawings in his bag. It was the castle itself, the main tower climbing into a cloudless sky. Meliodas had sketched a few birds flying over the wall surrounding the castle proper. The buildings of the city that surrounded the castle were pressed together in semi-neat rows and pushed all the way up to the wall. It reminded him of Dalmary a bit.

"Hey, that's a sketch Liones, isn't it?" the waitress said as she refilled his empty water glass. In shock he looked at the woman, who was about middle-aged, her hair pulled back into a simple bun, her clothes sturdy and sensible. She was peering at the parchment in his hand, and she smiled. "It's pretty good."

Meliodas turned to look at Ban and Merlin, who were both frozen. The woman took no notice of them staring and called over her shoulder, "Hey hon, come take a look at this!"

Moments later the cook emerged, a large burly man who wiped his hands on his apron before taking the picture that Meliodas offered. He could barely breathe, his entire body tense and shaking as the chef studied it. His face was creased with age and hard work, his eyes unreadable; but then, unexpectedly, they softened, his mouth turning down into a small, sad smile. "Yeah," he said gruffly, "that's Liones all right. It takes me back."

"My husband was born there, you know," the woman continued. "He was one of the king's favorite chefs, and worked in the castle."

"Liones?" Meliodas' eyes widened slowly, the word sweeping over him like a spell. It sounded _exactly right_. "Yes of course! That's the place! It's nearby, isn't it?"

The woman gasped. "You don't… know?"

"Liones!" Merlin gasped, interrupting them. "Wait, isn't that the place where—the Holy Knights, they—"

All four fell silent. Meliodas looked around the table, reading the shock and horror on his friends' faces. "What is it?"

"Liones is gone." Any softness in the chef's face was replaced by a twinge of anger. "Liones was destroyed by the Holy Knights who swore to protect it."

* * *

There was nothing but wind and wildlife as Meliodas ran towards the spot where Liones Castle once stood. The couple in the pub had been gracious enough to lend them a carriage and a horse, and following a map the three made their way from Dalmary, less than an hour east of their destination. There were a smattering of farms and small hamlets on the way, but after a while, the road had become rocky and difficult from neglect. The populated area of Britannia that they had been traveling through gave way to what resembled some of the wild places that were left.

They had spoken little on the way, as Meliodas just wanted to _get_ there. His mind was already whirling, his body nothing but a bundle of nerves when they finally climbed down from the carriage. Meliodas was acutely aware of the line of sweat on his forehead and the clicking sounds of his boots as he walked on the cobblestones, even noticing when the clicking stopped as his feet began to tread on the dirt and weeds.

The buildings were gone, the houses were gone, the streets and the stores and the schools empty, burned out shells. The wall that surrounded the castle was nothing but a crumbled ruin, and he stopped before crossing over what remained, simply staring in an empty sort of horror at the place where the castle _should_ have been.

No sounds of people and animals existed, only the slight howl of the wind. No banners swaying in the breeze, no soldiers calling for them to give their name, no grinding of the gate opening, just weeds and crumbled rock over a barren, scorched field. No townspeople coming in and out. No life.

Now, it was just a hole in the ground.

"Hey," Ban said behind him, "is this really where she's from?"

"Perhaps the Captain confused Liones with somewhere else," Merlin offered.

Meliodas could feel a rushing in his ears as his heart beat furiously. "No I didn't," he said. "This is the place. The wall, the castle, look over there!" He pointed and shouted, "The gate was right there! The trellis would raise, and there was a courtyard, and a staircase that went into the tower. My room was there— _her_ room was there—and the training fields—and the ballroom—I remember it all!"

"There's no way you could," Ban said with a nervous laugh. Rubbing the back of his neck, he gave Meliodas a strange smile. "Didn't you hear what happened to this place?"

"The Grand Masters were corrupt," Merlin continued. "They say they gathered all of the most important families to the castle, in order to stage a coup. But they unleashed a demon that ended up destroying them all, until there was nothing left. Not even this castle."

Her words hovered above Meliodas, as if his mind was refusing them entry. "When?"

Ban took a step towards Meliodas. "Three years ago. That's why it can't be the Elizabeth you started switching with."

Meliodas shook his head. "Three years—no, that's impossible. I remember all this. I _remember_ —"

"They all died," said Merlin.

"Died?" he whispered. "She died?" It made no sense, absolutely _no sense_ , and frantically he pulled out his notebooks. "No, no, I still have the notes she wrote me, I—"

Meliodas flipped through the pages eagerly, searching for where his drawings ended and her handwriting had begun. He found the first one where she had written _Elizabeth_ and huffed out a breath at the sight of her familiar, delicate cursive.

But then, the letters began to _change_ , morphing into his own writing, until her name was gone and all that was left was a note to buy eggs. "No, no, no," he muttered to himself, turning page after page, rubbing his eyes to clear them as he watched her notes— _No baths! You work too hard! Have you ever complimented her?_ —begin to twist on the page, changing the meaning of her words.

The finally, the words disappeared, the ink bleeding into the parchment.

* * *

"It was the same day a comet traveled across the sky." The chef, whose name they learned was Tobias, sighed heavily. "The great families of Liones were invited to the tower to watch, as it was the highest point in the kingdom. Many important people were there, their spouses and children and families, everybody with any influence or money or power."

"They used the comet as an excuse to have everyone in one place," Ban deadpanned.

Tobias nodded. "There were rumors—awful rumors. About Holy Knights whose eyes turned black, about the Grand Master forcing ordinary men into the ranks. That people were being tortured and threatened. The Holy Knights were feared, and the king could do nothing."

"How did you escape?" Merlin asked.

"The staff was ordered to leave. How odd, right? With all those important people, you'd think the entire staff would be there." Tobias pressed his lips together tightly before continuing. "It's because they knew we'd fight. Baltra wasn't a perfect king, but he was fair, and good, and a lot better than what those Holy Knights would have been. We would have fought them, even if it meant death." He rubbed a hand over his face, visibly irritated. "Women and children were there, innocent people, and they didn't deserve that. And the princesses—"

"Princesses?" For the first time, Meliodas spoke, and everyone looked at him.

"Yeah," answered the chef. "The king had three daughters. All beautiful, and strong, and good. They were loved by everyone. Margaret, Veronica, and Elizabeth."

He could feel more than hear Merlin's gasp and the way Ban shifted uncomfortably. For Meliodas, however, it felt like he had taken a beating, this last bit of news like the final blow against his stomach. "Elizabeth," he echoed.

"About three hundred people, I'd say, died that night," Tobias said. "That's about how many we were told to plan for. Once they were gone, Liones was done for. Everyone who was left moved on, and the kingdom never recovered."

"Do you know what they did?" Merlin asked. "I've heard only stories, and you mentioned rumors. Is there anything known for sure?"

Tobias swallowed thickly. "There was fire that could not be quenched. But before that, there was this sound, I'll never forget it. As if the universe itself was tearing in half. I was on the other side of the city, out in the lands around the perimeter, watching for the comet with most of the townspeople. When we heard that sound—" He cleared his throat. "There was a lot of panic. Some of us ran back to the castle to help, but there was nothing left when we got there."

Leaning forward, he rested his forearms heavily on his thighs. "That was no ordinary fire. That was something _else_. There's no way an entire castle, especially not one as large and grand as Liones, would be gone in a matter of thirty minutes. I don't care how hot it is." He looked up then, peering at Merlin. "Afterwards, the stories from the remaining Holy Knights started coming out. Talk about a coup, talk about the Grand Masters, rumors about demon blood."

"He was experimenting, I'll bet," she mused.

"Whatever it was, it got him too though," Tobias answered.

"Demon fire would have taken down that castle," Ban muttered. "If it can take down the Fairy King's Forest, it can wipe out an ordinary human city."

Meliodas could hear them talking, but he had long tuned them out. He thought about Veronica's smile and Margaret's soft voice, about the way Jericho and Howzer would laugh at each other's jokes and act as fierce protectors. He remembered the king's scolding tone, the way the sunlight would shine on the city's rooftops. He remembered the door to the underground, and the glowing light of the Horn of Cernunnos. "It's impossible," he whispered, and the talking stopped.

"You were wrong, Captain," Merlin said gently. "Your princess can't be Elizabeth Liones. This girl died three years ago."

He lifted his head, but did not look at any of them. Instead, he caught his reflection in the window of the pub, the other Meliodas staring back with a creased brow and panicky eyes. "Just a few weeks ago, she wrote to me, the day of our date, that when we got back we'd be able to see the comet." He panted for a moment, his mouth going dry. "That means—I—"

His reflection was sweating profusely, and he wondered if he was too. "I—"

 _You're dreaming right now, aren't you?_

It was him, Meliodas remembered. The Grand Master, Hendrickson, who had led them to see the goddess, who had seemed strange somehow. That's who did this.

Meliodas blinked, his skin flaring hot with fever for a moment; then, he shook his head. "I—" Was he dreaming? It felt like a dream. "What was I saying?" he asked aloud.


	7. The Horn of Cernunnos

**Chapter 7: The Horn of Cernunnos**

 _Ah, I'm told that some part of every wish will be heard_  
 _But lately I've lost sight of the truth in those words_  
 _I can't even remember when I gave up believing_  
 _What could have been the reason?_  
 _Ah, the very moment that the rain will stop_  
 _In the place rainbow born and dies_  
 _And where the end of this life lies_  
 _I've always been insisting there was something that I've longing for_

* * *

"Interesting situation," Merlin remarked as Ban walked into the common room. He chuckled and took a seat across from her as she took a sip of wine.

"We've been through worse," he answered.

"True," the mage nodded. "The Seven Deadly Sins have faced many vicious creatures and evil beings. But I don't recall having a Captain who was losing his mind."

Ban looked at her sharply. "Is that what you really think?" he snapped. "He's insane?"

Merlin shrugged. He watched her carefully as she took another long sip. "What is it?" she asked without looking at him.

"Since when do you drink?"

Instead of answering, Merlin looked away. The couple had welcomed them into the sitting room of the apartment over their pub while Meliodas went over his pictures with Tobias. The furnishings were simple, the hearth clean, the floors worn. It was the same sitting room in thousands of homes in Britannia. "He's going through those pictures over and over," she said finally. "Don't you think it's a bit obsessive?"

"Wouldn't you?" Stretching out a bit, Ban gave a great yawn.

"I did quit drinking, once," said Merlin. "A while ago."

There was a momentary silence before Ban asked, "Do you really suppose he's crazy? What do you suppose is wrong with him?"

"I had feelings for him," Merlin replied, and Ban raised an eyebrow in surprise. "The way he's been recently… I mean, he was always someone special, but now he's just really nice."

"Wouldn't peg you for the 'nice' type," joked Ban.

Merlin smiled. "Nice, but kind of frantic. It was cute." She took another sip. "Although everything he has told us is strange. In the end though, Captain has met _someone_. And that someone made him change. And… it's not the first time."

* * *

Hours later, they had returned to the Boar Hat. Meliodas said nothing to the others as he climbed the stairs to his room and locked the door. Not bothering to even take off his shoes he dropped his bag on the table and pulled everything out again. First thing he did was flip open the journal; yet it remained as completely blank as it had been.

As he stared at the empty pages, Meliodas slowly sank down, pressing his head against the table with a dull thud. The wood was cool and smooth on his forehead, and for several moments he simply breathed in and out, willing the shaking in his hands and the stuttering in his heart to go away.

"It was all just a dream," he said quietly. "I recognized the landscape because I've been to Liones, years and years ago."

A minute ticked by, then another. Outside, crickets were chirping, signaling the twilight approaching. "Or was she a ghost? Or… did I just make this all up? Just imagined the whole thing?"

Suddenly he sat up and yanked the journal towards him. "What was her name? I… can't remember."

There was a knock at the door, and despite the lock, it clicked open as Merlin popped her head inside. "Ban headed back down to the town for a bit and I'm going to my room. Do you need anything?"

"Merlin…" He frowned as he looked at her. "I realize I've been saying a lot of… strange things. Thank you."

The mage hesitated, and then smiled warmly. Slipping inside, she took a chair at the table, sorting gently through the drawings. Meliodas watched silently, until a click sounded on the table. Merlin picked up whatever it was that had dropped from the pages, and held it up to the light. It was the bead he had found in his pocket, and Merlin looked at it closely. "It's an earring," she said, glancing at him with curiosity.

"Is it?"

"Mm hmm. Where did you find it? It's very pretty."

"Is it? I guess so." Meliodas blinked as he thought. "Someone gave it to me. I've been hanging onto it as kind of a lucky charm." Merlin nodded and kept sifting through the papers, but he only frowned. "Who was it? I can't remember!"

"It's getting late," Merlin said gently. "Maybe after some rest."

Meliodas nodded. "Yeah, I… no. Wait." He huffed a bit, familiar words that felt right rising to his mind. "Someone told me… We are all connected, from the farmers to the soldiers, the old to the young, the poorest beggar to the king himself. The sun and moon cannot live without one another. We are all a part of…"

He gasped. "Maybe if I… if I find it…"

Frantically Meliodas grabbed a map, tracing his finger around where Liones once stood. He muttered to himself as he picked up a pen to scratch a note, and Merlin only watched him silently.

* * *

He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, his head was on the table. "Meliodas," a voice whispered. "Meliodas!"

He stirred a bit, giving a sigh. "Meliodas!" The voice was more insistent now. "Don't you _remember_?"

With a shout his eyes opened, and he sat up. Blinking away the sleep, he took one deep breath after another as he looked around for the source of the voice. But no one was there in his room, and finally his eyes fell on the blue bead on the table.

Immediately he was up, grabbing his things as he ran out the door. It was easy enough to find a horse, and Meliodas rode quickly from the town. He stayed on the main road for miles, following the route that Tobias had marked out on his map. "Those drawings you did, of Liones," the chef had murmured sadly as he handed the folded paper back, "they were… really good."

Thunder rolled in the distance as he continued riding. After the town was long out of sight, the trees started to become thicker on the side of the road. He would often catch sight of a deer or a rabbit, the air boasting new birds, insects buzzing as they sought shelter from the upcoming storm.

Meliodas had left late in the morning; by the time the road turned towards Liones, it was nearing the afternoon. However, it was dark, the sun hidden behind the clouds. He spurred the horse onward, but slowed his pace when they turned off the road. The horse picked its way carefully through what would barely pass as a path as they headed to where the castle stood. But Meliodas did not want to head through where the gates once stood; instead, he was searching for the entrance to the tunnels below.

Once the horse was secured, the sky seemed to open up. The rain was thick and cold as it poured, and Meliodas drew up his hood before taking off in a sprint towards what he imagined was the main courtyard. Trying to see through the sheet of water falling, he stopped to think. Was it right, or left? It was hard to picture with the pelting rain, growing more anxious when lightning flashed on the horizon. He did not want to be caught in this storm with all these trees around, and no shelter.

"We are all connected," he said out loud. Closing his eyes, he tried his best to pull the memory of Liones up from underneath wherever dreams go when they fade. "From the farmers to the soldiers, the old to the young, the poorest beggar to the king himself." Another crash of thunder sounded, and Meliodas clenched his fists. "Even a bartender and a princess could be connected."

 _There_. He remembered where to walk, and when he opened his eyes found two wooden stubs on the ground. Could this be the remainder of the doorway? He puffed out a breath, the air now so cold from the rain it emerged as a white cloud that dissipated seconds later. Meliodas stepped between them, pulling his hood back a bit, as his eyes traveled along old, rotting boards on the ground, the remnants of a wood floor.

He followed the boards, his eyes on the ground. Suddenly he felt like he was falling, hopping from one foot to the other. But he hadn't tripped on anything, not that he could tell, so carried on until he came to a pile of rubble. _That shouldn't be there_ , he thought, and immediately went to work pulling up the rock and debris now soaked from the rain. After several moments, his face was hot and his arms were shaking; but it was worth it in the end, because there, in the ground, was a staircase.

"It's really there," he whispered to himself. "It wasn't a dream." There was heat on his face then, and when he raised a cold hand to press against his cheek, he realized a few tears had slipped down.

With determination, he began the descent. Once under the ground, the light began to fade rapidly, but his eyes could see easily in the dark. The air was humid and stale as he walked, his soaked boots making a splat sound that echoed just a bit in the tunnel. On and on it went, and the utter silence would have been unnerving if Meliodas was not so focused. There was a muted roaring sound as the air moved upwards towards the opening. It was all so familiar, even though he knew he had never been here before.

At the bottom of the steps he paused. "What lies ahead is the netherworld," he whispered to himself. "This is where the goddesses live." He shivered, remembering the goddess he had known thousands of years ago. What if there really was one existing in a seal beneath Liones? What would one do if they found him here?

His footsteps were loud in the stone chamber. Slowly Meliodas walked through the opening. There the horn still stood, as large and overwhelming as the first time he had been there, in Elizabeth's body. No light came from the horn, however; there was only a very faint glow from a few cracks in the ceiling of the chamber where a bit of the light from outside passed through.

"It's still here," he said in wonder. Meliodas approached the horn cautiously. Whatever goddess had been inside—if it even _was_ a goddess—was long gone by now, judging by the cold stillness. Somewhere inside of him, underneath the excitement and relief of finding this place, he felt some disappointment. If there was ever a place to give him some answers, it should have been here. Yet the Horn of Cernunnos was just as empty as the rest of Liones Castle.

His eyes dragged over the twisted shape, downwards, until it landed on the floor. There, at the base, were three folded slips of paper. His eyes widened as he stepped closer. "These are from the princesses!" he exclaimed. Crouching down, he examined them. "That would be Margaret's, and Veronica's, and here… here is Elizabeth's."

Gently, reverently, he picked up the paper. "This was before the attack. So when I was here, when I wrote this, it was _also_ three years in the past." He traced a finger along the edge of the parchment. "Our times got… mixed up somehow."

Meliodas sat on the ground, crossing his legs to tuck under himself. "This is Elizabeth's heart's desire, that she left with the goddess to be able to return. But—it was me, _I_ left this here. I left this here three years ago."

Slowly he opened the parchment. It was difficult to see, but as he raised it up to his eyes, he could make out his stilted handwriting: _If this is real, and Elizabeth and I are a part of one another, then please give me a chance_.

Meliodas spoke the words out loud, his voice carrying through the chamber. Immediately his eyes shot up at the end of the prayer, waiting for _something_ to happen, a light or a sign or a voice in return. But the horn was silent, the room empty, and after several moments, he knew it was impossible. With a sigh he hung his head, letting out the breath he had been holding.

He took a moment, however, to think about Elizabeth. He closed his eyes and remembered her bright smile and shining eyes when he looked in the mirror. He thought of the teasing from her sisters and the laughter of her friends, the hard look from her father and the nod of her tutor. But Elizabeth was more than that. Meliodas smiled to himself remembering the advice she left about Merlin, the teasing instructions, the genuine care she had for Ban and Hawk. She would leave him reminders about both of their lives and share anecdotes about the times during their switches. Somehow the girl he never met, who had died three years ago, was a part of him. Elizabeth had become someone he had cared about.

She had had a life, a full life of people and things and memories, and it was all gone. All that was left of her were the notes she had made in his book—and even those were now just his own memory.

Suddenly he wanted to leave this place, and get back to the Boar Hat and not think about Liones or Elizabeth anymore. Quickly he stood, dropping the paper on the ground; but when he turned to leave, he slipped, his foot catching on the paper he had dropped. Falling backwards, he gave a yelp; and as he hit the ground, his eyes fell on the Horn of Cernunnos, which was now glowing from the inside.

* * *

There was only light, a faded purple, and Meliodas was consumed by it. He was falling

 _falling falling falling_

until he realized he was flying.

Lights blurred around him, like sparklers. It was the comet, he was riding on it, it was _becoming_ it, and Meliodas thought, now I will see Elizabeth again.

The rain outside picked up speed, the sounds of the splattered drops echoing until it was one all-consuming noise. The rushing wind and the roaring water carried him through the sky.

Then he saw, not Elizabeth, but Britannia. It was _his own_ memory that began to unravel, and all he could do was observe, wide-eyed as

 _—_ _white wings, blue eyes in fear, then love_

A flirtatious smile squeezed his heart, and the demon could not breathe. "Well, what do you think?" she asked, her brows lifting just a bit, and he knew in that moment—

 _her voice, calling for him, crying out…_

She was in pain, and he had to help her, but he was in too much of his own to—

 _he found her, she was there but not the same, how could she be here again?_

"Meliodas! The curse! Do you remember the curse?"

 _years and girls and memories, love, tears, so many many years…_

"You're going to stop looking for her? Are you sure you can?"

 _—_ _yes, he was sure, he would do this, it was the best, until she—_

A cry, jolting him from the black roar. Meliodas looks down and sees a baby, and knows it has happened again, before he had even realized it.

He gasps and looks up; the king and queen of Liones sit on their thrones, people admiring the new princess as they gather around for a peek. Two young girls with lavender hair step up, and the king smiles. "You are all my treasures," he says.

 _a bed, with something on it, covered in a sheet_ _—_

The king shuts the door, and Meliodas can feel his cheeks are wet.

"Father?" a tiny voice asks. "Where is Mother?"

He is angry, shouting at the Holy Knights around the table. "Why has the creature not been found!" he screams. "Someone had to have let it into the castle!"

"Get a hold of yourself." It is Hendrickson, and Meliodas recognizes him immediately as the one who had taken them to the horn. "The goddesses—"

"Who cares about the goddesses!" he roars. "I cared only for Anna! The rest of Liones can rot!"

The other knights look at one another as the king sweeps from the room. Meliodas can see the small smile that forms on Hendrickson's face.

 _Margaret is giving Elizabeth a gift_ _—_

She opens the little box to find a blue earring inside. "This represents our kingdom, and the blessings of the goddesses," the older girl explains.

Meliodas shakes his head. Do they not understand?

 _"Who am I? Who are you!?"_

He is standing next to Elizabeth now, who is furiously writing in a notebook. "I can't believe him!" she exclaims, and looks up at the mirror. "What is wrong with you!"

He follows her gaze, but it is his _own_ reflection that looks back at him.

 _those eyes, he recognizes them, again and again and_

She tucks her hair behind her ear, opening the little box and slipping on the earring. "Must be nice. They've probably met up by now." There are tears rolling down her cheeks, and she gasps. "Why am I crying?"

 _"Elizabeth? Do you know who I am?"_

Elizabeth is heading out of the castle, wrapping a cloak around her shoulders. "Where are you going?" Veronica calls from somewhere.

"I'm going to Dalmary," she answers.

Dalmary? Meliodas cries out in surprise. But that's where—

 _"Meliodas! Don't you remember?"_

"Can you do me a favor?" Elizabeth smiles sadly at the servant laying out clothes. She holds up a pair of scissors.

"Yes, the comet. That's tonight, isn't it?"

"Elizabeth!" Meliodas is shouting, his voice filling the space where the memories roll like the storm outside. "You can't go there. Don't go there! You have to get out of the castle before the comet arrives!"

 _"Who are you?"_

He turns, and the sky is bright with the blue and gold streaks of the comet. Elizabeth watches with eyes wide, and there is cheering all around. But soon it is clear that the cheers are screams, and the glowing increases as fire begins to cover the castle.

"Elizabeth! Get out of there!"

The roar of the fire is loud, louder than he ever imagined, louder than he remembers purgatory fire being—

 _white wings, blue eyes_

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth!"

 _the doors to Purgatory opens, and a fire escapes, the heat searing as it—_

"Elizabeth!"

" _Who am I? Who are you?!"_

"ELIZABETH!"

 _Meliodas is covered in the flames, and the screams of the others drown out all thought—_

Then he opened his eyes, and saw the ceiling of the bedroom in the castle.

Meliodas sat up with a gasp. His breathing came in short, uneven bursts, his heart beating so hard and fast he thought for sure he would be able to see it through his chest. But as he looked down, he realized it was _not_ his own chest, but _hers_ , the hard muscle replaced by two lovely breasts that made him cry out in happiness.

"Elizabeth," he whispered. "She's alive."


	8. The Plan

**Chapter Eight: The Plan**

 _Oh yes, we are time fliers, so, and I_  
 _I knew who you were way before..._  
 _Way before I even knew my own name_  
 _There's no clue, but I'm sure, I swear_

 _Oh we are time fliers_  
 _Dashing up the steps of time now_  
 _No more playing hide and seek with you and time_  
 _And always coming just short_

* * *

Meliodas was a strange mixture of sobbing and laughing and touching Elizabeth's breasts when Veronica burst into the room. "Oh no not again—"

She was promptly cut off when he looked up, his eyes watery and nose dripping. "Her sister!" he cried, scrambling across the bed. "It's you! It's really you _uuuu_ -!"

Veronica shrieked and ran, the door slamming behind her.

Quickly he dressed, hurrying down to breakfast. When he arrived in the dining hall, his sisters were there, along with an unexpected selection of Liones nobility. He skidded to a halt and composed himself, not wanting anything to seem out of place. _This must be before the comet_ , he thought to himself as he headed towards where the other two princesses sat together. _There's still time._

As he slid into a chair next to Margaret, Veronica leaned over and whispered loudly, "Careful, she's losing it today."

Margaret looked at him strangely, but before he could protest, they were joined by the Grand Master. "Your Majesties," he said in greeting, and the girls gave a respectful hello.

"Everyone excited about the comet then?" said Hendrickson smoothly, his smile not reaching his eyes. Margaret murmured her affirmation, but his eyes landed squarely on Meliodas. "Princess Elizabeth, may I speak with you a moment?"

Meliodas cleared his throat, trying to think of an excuse; but when none came, he nodded and stood. The knight led him to a quieter corner of the room, out of earshot of the others milling about, talking and eating. "I wanted to compliment Your Highness that—"

Suddenly Hendrickson peered at him closely. "What's this? You're not actually Elizabeth, are you?"

Meliodas gasped. "What—How did you—?"

"The way you've been behaving lately has caught everyone's notice." Hendrickson narrowed his eyes. "There are legends about the goddesses possessing the bodies of humans. Is that what you are?"

Meliodas' eyes widened. _He thinks I'm a goddess?_ The irony was almost laughable, but he decided to play the charade. "That's right," he said, as menacingly as he could, although in Elizabeth's voice it didn't have quite the same effect. "I know what you are planning tonight. You won't get away with this."

The Holy Knight stared back at him for a tense moment; then he burst out laughing. "Of course, Your Highness!" he replied. "How foolish of me. However, despite being possessed by a goddess, I can see you have no power. So if you'll excuse me, I need to see to the arrangements for the viewing this evening."

He gave a bow, and with a final cold smile he walked away. Meliodas grit his teeth, wanting nothing more than to kick him squarely between the eyes; but Hendrickson was right. Elizabeth had no power, and despite _knowing_ how to fight, using her body to do so would be… well, it wouldn't be as effective, that was for sure. If he was going to stop the massacre, he needed a plan. "There's no way I'm going to let everyone die," he said to himself.

Meliodas tossed an excuse to Margaret and left, heading out in a run towards the training fields. He needed friends first, and there were only two people he trusted in the entire castle. When he found Jericho and Howzer, they were getting ready for drills, the dozen or so apprentices in their group helping each other with their armor.

They both gaped at him as he ran up and panted, "I need your help. Now."

"Now?" Howzer straightened up from where he was buckling his shin guards. "I don't know if we can get out of this, it's being assessed—"

"Listen to me!" he hissed. "Tonight, when the comet is going over Liones, the Grand Master is going to unleash a demon, and everyone is going to _die_!"

Neither of Elizabeth's friends gave a reaction, both simply looking completely confused. "What happened to your _hair_?" Jericho finally asked.

Unconsciously Meliodas ran his fingers through it, surprised by the short locks. But there was no time for wondering. "Nevermind that!" he snapped. "If we don't do something about tonight, we're all going to die! It's up to us to save everyone!"

All of the other apprentices had stopped what they were doing, now looking over at the princess from her outburst.

Meliodas glanced around before leaning in to the two friends. "I need your help. Let's go," he hissed.

Thankfully, Jericho and Howzer scrambled up and followed him. Meliodas decided to head towards their normal lunch spot, and began to fill them in as they walked. "Hendrickson is planning something," he said. "Tonight, he's going to invite all the important nobility in Liones to the castle, in order to get everyone in one place. Then he is going to unseal a demon."

"What?" Jericho grabbed his arm, stopping them both. "How do you know this?"

"I—heard things," he explained. If he went into the whole body-switching-thing, who knew how long it would take to explain! So Meliodas decided to keep things simple. "He's been drinking demon blood, experimenting with it."

"So that's what's been going on," Howzer muttered, frowning deeply with his hands on his hips. "I've seen them. The New Generation have powers that don't make any sense. They must be using the demon magic for it."

Meliodas nodded. "That's exactly it! But when he unleashes the demon, it's going to use Purgatory fire to kill everyone!"

Both of his friends looked shocked, but then Jericho held up her hands. "Wait, why are we even worrying? The Holy Knights will fight it," she assured him.

Meliodas shook his head. "No, he's going to send them out! There won't be any knights to save the people."

Howzer gasped. "You're right! This morning the rounds came out. I heard people talking, everyone is stationed in the city, but none in the castle."

"See?" Meliodas looked back and forth pleadingly. "Please, believe me. I need your help. If we don't do something, everyone is going to die."

There was a brief pause, and then Jericho said, "Of course we believe you. Just tell us what to do."

Howzer agreed, and Meliodas breathed a sigh of relief. They might not be Merlin and Ban, but they would do well just the same.

* * *

After splitting up briefly to gather information, the three met an hour later, huddling together in a secluded spot off of the castle grounds. Both of his friends looked troubled as they sat in a tight circle at the bottom of a set of stairs, out of sight of the guards. "I got the list of who is invited," Meliodas said, laying a roll of parchment between them. "Do you recognize these names?"

Jericho read it over, nodding as her eyes moved back and forth. "You were right, these are definitely the top dignitaries. Members of the royal family, officials in the guard and their families, nobles, members of the councils… everyone who serves the king directly is here."

"You were right about the Holy Knights," Howzer added. "I checked the schedules in the main office and the only people on duty tonight in the castle are New Generation."

"Staff too," Jericho sighed. "I know some of the footmen and a couple of housemaids. Everyone has been ordered out." Meliodas nodded, remembering the chef's words, about how the servants had been dismissed for the night on the pretext of letting them see the comet. "It doesn't make any sense! Even the stables, the kitchens, the medics? There won't be anyone here tonight."

"Why though?" Howzer asked. "If Hendrickson wants to set a demon on Liones, why pick and choose who will be there for it?"

"So he can rule," Meliodas said slowly, realization starting to dawn. "He needs subjects when he makes himself king. He'll unleash the demon, lead the Holy Knights to victory, and then when the dust settles and the government is gone, he can step in and take over in their grief." His hands shook a bit at the idea. "But it's too dangerous. People will get hurt. His plan will only work if all these people are gone."

His prediction hung in the air as the three contemplated this. "So what do we do?" Jericho finally asked.

Meliodas thought silently to himself. Take out Hendrickson, or try to stop the demon? It was a risk either way. Hendrickson was a powerful knight, and armed with no magic and two apprentices, he had little chance to survive a fight. He had never thought to try his own _Full Counter_ while in Elizabeth's body, but there was a distinct lack of the familiar electricity inside of him, so he doubted it would work anyway.

"I think it's obvious," Howzer said, and both Meliodas and Jericho looked at him in surprise. "We have no hope of stopping Hendrickson _or_ this demon. We're only a couple of apprentices against a Grand Master and his hand-selected group of mega demon magic knights."

Jericho grumbled, narrowing her eyes sharply at him. "Way to keep positive there, Howzer."

The knight gave her a sour look. "If you would let me _finish_ ," he muttered with a roll of his eyes. "We can't stop this thing from happening, so we need to focus on saving everyone. To do that, we have to keep people out of the palace."

Meliodas' eyes widened. "That's it! You're a genius!"

"I am?" Howzer said in confusion.

"Yes! We can still save everyone!" Meliodas jumped up with a cheer, punching his fist into the air. Then he grabbed Howzer around the neck, hooking him under his arm and giving him a tight squeeze. "Nice job!"

"Hey! Quit it!" Howzer choked out, flailing his arms.

Meliodas released some of the pressure, but did not let go of his neck. "What's wrong?" he asked. He and Ban did this all the time. As he frowned, he noticed the knight's flaming red cheeks, and then laughed when he realized Howzer's head was pressed right in between Elizabeth's cleavage. "Hey, what's wrong? You shy?"

"It's not… _proper_ ," stammered Howzer, "and you know it." He pushed the princess off of him with a suitable look of embarrassed disgust on his face, making Meliodas laugh again.

"Such a gentleman," Meliodas giggled, batting his eyelashes.

"Anyway!" Jericho interrupted, pushing between the two. "What's our plan to get everyone to safety?"

"We need a reason to evacuate," Meliodas said.

Howzer snapped his fingers. "Jericho, we can do this! Let's make a storm."

"A storm?"

"Yeah! I'll provide the wind, you have the ice." He weaved his fingers together as if to demonstrate. "Together we can make it bad enough everyone will go."

Jericho considered a moment. "I don't know if that will be enough to get people to do more than go inside."

"I can help," Meliodas said. "I'll talk to the king, and see if he can't send an order to evacuate. He's my father, right? He'll listen to me, I'll convince him."

Jericho looked even less convinced, but then sighed. "You both know this is totally a crime."

"Yes," Meliodas and Howzer said together.

"And if we're caught we're done for."

"Yes."

Heaving a sigh, she waved her hand and said, "Fine. I don't really care. I mean, this is just a possibility, right? We don't know for one hundred percent that Hendrickson is going to unleash a demon on Liones? It's just your theory."

Meliodas cleared his throat uncomfortably, but luckily Howzer interrupted, "Theories are based on reality. We know demons existed, three thousand years ago. They fought the goddesses—I mean, that's how Liones was even created!"

"Right!" Meliodas exclaimed, grinning. "That's why there is still the goddess magic! Nice one, Howzer!"

He and Howzer high-fived, a move that reminded him again of Ban, and then both turned and grabbed Jericho. "Let's go save Liones!"

* * *

"What on earth are you talking about?"

Baltra frowned deeply, sitting back on his throne as he gazed down at Meliodas. He was obviously incredibly displeased, but he huffed an impatient breath and said, "Like I said, we need to cancel this comet viewing tonight so that no one comes here and—"

"Elizabeth, shut up," the king snapped.

Meliodas gasped as Baltra shook his head. "You're telling me that the Grand Master is going to unleash a demon?" he sighed. "That my own knights will turn on the people, and allow the demon to murder everyone here? That hundreds of people will die, and the castle will burn to the ground?"

Meliodas could only gape at him. "How dare you stand here and spout this nonsense!" he shouted. "If you are serious about this, then you must be sick in the head. This is what I get for taking in a foundling."

The king turned and signaled for a guard to approach. "I'm having you taken to see a mage. You need to be examined. I'll speak to you only when I know you're not under some kind of spell."

The guard walked towards them, Baltra was still shouting, but Meliodas could only stare up at the king dumbfounded. Did he say he took in a foundling? That Elizabeth wasn't his daughter? There were images from before, and he grit his teeth when he remembered one was a crying baby, in _his arms_ , not Baltra's. The king cared nothing for her, and nothing for Liones—he had said as much in his memory! And Hendrickson knew that, and knew how to exploit it… and because of _that_ , Elizabeth was going to die.

"You—" Meliodas stalked forward, moving in a flash. He punched the guard in the face while drawing the sword that hung from his hips, ignoring the flash of pain on his delicate and untested hand, before swinging around. He jumped the last bit to land in front of the king, holding his sword out, the blade an inch from slicing his throat. "You son of a—!"

It felt good, so very _good_ to be _doing_ something. Meliodas had been a Holy Knight himself, in another life, and before that a mercenary, and a soldier, all the way back to the beginning. He was a fighter by instinct and a killer by training, and he knew with a sword in his hand he could make anything happen.

But that wasn't him; at least, this wasn't him, not now. Now, he was Elizabeth, and he gave a little gasp and took a step backwards, the sword still raised and pointed at the king, but no longer grazing his skin. The two stared at one another, father and daughter, and Meliodas watched as a drop of perspiration fell from the king's brow and slid down the side of his face.

"Elizabeth." Baltra's voice was soft, disbelieving, his expression a mixture of shock and fear. Meliodas felt a strange welling of emotion as he stared back, and slowly lowered the sword. He tried to think of what to do—of what _Elizabeth_ would do. What would she say when she learned what he had done, what he had almost done?

"Elizabeth?" the king whispered. He slid closer, right to the edge of his throne. "No," he breathed, and Meliodas gasped. "You're not Elizabeth. Who… who are you?"

The sword clattered to the ground, and Meliodas ran.

* * *

Meliodas walked through the courtyard, looking for Jericho and Howzer. He stared at the ground dejectedly, cycling the scene in the throne room over and over in his mind. How could he have done something so stupid? Now the king would never listen to him—and what was worse, he had hinted at their plan to get everyone to evacuate.

He heard Veronica and Margaret nearby and paused, looking around. They were speaking to a few other girls, and as he approached he gave a gasp to hear them talking about the comet. "Don't be late!" Veronica gushed excitedly. "We'll be at the very top!"

"No!" he shouted, rushing over. "No, you shouldn't go tonight! Get away!"

The group looked at him in surprise as Meliodas grabbed the arm of one of their companions. "Whatever you do, don't come to the palace tonight, or you'll die! Tell everyone to stay away!"

"What is wrong with you?" Veronica pulled him away, and the girls hurried off with worried glances.

"Elizabeth?" Margaret stepped into his line of vision, and he looked up at the older girl. The princess took his hand gently. "What are you doing?"

"If I was Elizabeth," he wondered aloud, "would she have been able to convince him? Is this all my fault?"

The princesses exchanged a glance. "Huh?" asked Veronica.

"Margaret! Veronica!" Both girls jumped at his sudden shout. "Promise me you won't be here for the comet! Promise you'll leave the castle right away!"

"What?" cried Margaret.

"Please!" he pleaded. "Take everyone you can and go, otherwise you're all going to die!"

Veronica took a hold of her arms, giving her a little shake. "What is wrong with you?" she shouted. "What are you talking about? And why did you go to Dalmary all of a sudden yesterday?" Meliodas gasped. "You've been acting so weird lately!"

"I went to Dalmary?" He blinked, trying to figure out why that felt familiar.

"Elizabeth," Margaret said gently, "are you all right? Where is your earring?"

"Hey! Princess Elizabeth!"

The sisters turned to see Howzer and Jericho hurrying over. The two knights gave a quick bow to the princesses before turning on their friend. "How did things go with the king?"

Meliodas did not answer, his brow furrowed in thought. "What's wrong with your sister?" Jericho asked the princesses.

"I have no idea," Veronica sighed.

 _Dalmary, Dalmary_ , Meliodas thought over and over. That name sounded so familiar, and if everyone could just be quiet, he knew he would remember why. _The earring._ He thought of the little blue bead that rolled across the wooden table, his hand going up to caress the bare earlobe without even realizing it. The conversation continued, but he turned, trying to find the memory and grasp it. He needed to hold onto something familiar to settle the way his heart was pounding, when his eyes fell on the doorway that led to where the goddesses slept.

"Could she be… down there?" he whispered.

With a shout Meliodas started to run, but Howzer grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?" he cried.

"I need to look for something." Meliodas shrugged him off and took off, his friend calling behind him, "But what do we do?"

Meliodas came to a stop before the door and looked over his shoulder. "Be in position at sundown. I'm counting on you!" Then he pushed open the door and ran down the hallway that led to the steps that would take him down beneath Liones, where the Horn of Cernunnos waited.


	9. Meeting

**Chapter 9: Meeting**

 _Oh, I love the sound of your unfettered voice_  
 _And the shedding of tears lead me this way_  
 _So tell me, who will ever gonna stop us_  
 _On this, the eve of our revolution_  
 _No more hesitation, I will put up a flag_  
 _To stake my claim on your heart tonight_

* * *

Elizabeth sat up with a soft groan. She pressed her hand to her head, wondering what had happened to her. It felt like she had been hit by something, her temples throbbing as she slowly opened her eyes.

She gasped when she looked around. There was no bed, no windows, just the stone ground and the stale air of the underground. Elizabeth spun around, her eyes landing on the dark and silent Horn of Cernunnos just a few feet away. She stared, unbelieving, until she felt something in her hand.

Looking down, she saw it was her blue earring. _It must have fallen out_ , she thought—and then noticed her hand was _not_ her hand, her clothes were _not_ her clothes, and her body was _not her own._

"Oh my goodness!" she gasped. "I'm Meliodas again!"

Quickly she scrambled up, and with a last glance at the cold and quiet horn, she stuffed the earring in Meliodas' pocket and hurried towards the steps. As Elizabeth climbed, she wondered what he was doing _here_. The Horn of Cernunnos was underneath _her_ castle. But if she was Meliodas, then that meant he had come to Liones! Was he here now, in her home?

Her heart was pounding as she hurried her pace. Elizabeth heaved a shaking breath as she reached the top, blinking in the daylight as she emerged. If Meliodas was here, in _her_ body, it shouldn't be too difficult to find him. And then maybe… maybe they could meet, and figure out what was happening to them… maybe he could help her with her father, and the Holy Knights, and she could meet Merlin and Ban and Hawk and have a cake in town and drink something at the Boar Hat… they could walk around Dalmary and throw pennies into the fountain, and he could show her his drawings, and—

All of her thoughts came to a screeching halt as she stepped onto the surface. "Liones?" she whispered. "It's… gone."

Elizabeth covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening as she took in the utter _nothingness_ around her. Eyes welling with tears, she looked around to see what was once the castle, her home, but was now a field of little more than wilderness. Only a few scraps of the castle's foundation remained, but the walls were gone, the wood and the stone that had been carefully crafted, the stained glass windows, the flags and banners. Slowly she turned in a circle, a sob escaping her throat. The ground was scorched, grass appearing between cracks in the ground.

Beyond the castle was even more nothingness. The city that surrounded the castle had vanished. Elizabeth could look out a window and see stretches of buildings, barns, cobblestoned streets lined with shops and merchants and homes. There was no school, no smith, no stores, no stables. There were no people, no guards, no knights. They were gone too. Howzer and Jericho were gone. Her family was gone.

As she took it all in, Elizabeth tried to remember something, _anything_ to give her a clue. The last thing she could recall was standing on a castle walkway with Jericho and Howzer. They had been watching for the comet—what had happened? It appeared in the sky like a vision, and the people were cheering—weren't they?

She began to shake as fear flooded her. There was screaming, she remembered now. Screaming, and heat, and bright red fire. There was a hand on her arm, someone saying her name, but Elizabeth had simply stared at the comet in the sky, thinking of Meliodas.

"Does this mean…?" Her mind tried to process everything. _Think, think_ , she scolded herself, but there were too many pictures: the comet, the streak of blue in the sky, the shouts of the others, Howzer saying her name. There was a terror that took root deep inside of her, and Elizabeth fell to her knees.

She looked down at the grass that grew where the hallway to the courtyard once was. "Does this mean I… died?" she said aloud, her voice shaking.

* * *

The moment he was through the door, Meliodas heard his name. "Meliodas?" it called. "Don't you remember?"

He whirled around, pressing back against the wood of the door. There was no one there, however: just the hallway, dim without the lamps lit, that would lead to the stairs that would take him down to the horn. All he heard was his own breathing, and he pressed a hand to his chest.

"Meliodas!"

It came again, and his eyes went wide. That voice, he _knew_ that voice, and he closed his eyes, trying to place it, when a memory surfaced.

 _Elizabeth was hurrying to dress, slipping the blue bead he had found among his things into her ear._ It is an earring, Merlin was right _, Meliodas thought._

" _Where are you going?" Veronica demanded._

" _I'm going to Dalmary," Elizabeth said quickly. "I… have a date."_

 _Meliodas gasped along with Veronica. "You have a boyfriend in Dalmary?" she cried._

" _I didn't say it was for me," Elizabeth said dismissively._

 _Meliodas followed her out the door, watching as she ran through the castle and secured a horse from the stable. Without looking back she rode through the east gate and took the road through the city, going at an easy but determined gallop. "If I suddenly show up," Elizabeth said to the horse, the one time she stopped to water it, "will I be a nuisance, or a surprise?" She sighed and patted the horse. "He might not like it if I do."_

 _The memory continued as she rode, the city behind her growing smaller and smaller, until she was in the countryside. Meliodas watched, amazed, wondering what she was doing—why would she just leave, and not tell anyone?_

 _A short while later, the town came into view. Elizabeth slowed the horse down and pulled her cloak around herself as she approached. She turned onto the road and passed the sign that said "Dalmary Town", one he had passed himself, once._

 _Elizabeth climbed from her horse and strapped it to a post, adjusting her cloak once more, and then began to walk through the streets. Meliodas still followed her, watching in amazement as she went up and down streets that he had walked himself. Once in a while she would stop and speak to someone, asking if they had seen a man with blonde hair and a dragon tattoo on his arm; his throat was thick as one person after another told her no._

 _After a while Elizabeth stopped to rest, sitting on the edge of the fountain he remembered sitting on himself. "I guess it won't happen," she sighed. "But… what if it did? What would I do?" She pressed her hands against her knees. "Would I annoy him? Would it be awkward? Or maybe…" Elizabeth smiled to herself. "Maybe he'd be glad to see me."_

 _She continued walking, going to another part of town, stopping in taverns and bookshops, looking in the windows of the stores, examining the pictures for sale on the street. The sun was just beginning to set, the sky moving its slow way from bright blue to a more muted one. "I guess we won't meet," Elizabeth sighed, finally heading back towards the front of the town where her horse waited. "But there's one thing for certain. I know if we see each other, we'll definitely know right away: that you were the one inside of me, and I was the one…"_

 _Her eyes looked up, and Elizabeth stopped. Meliodas turned too and saw a signboard, moving with Elizabeth to read over the things hanging there. He was surprised to see the wanted posters for the Seven Deadly Sins; were there actually towns that still thought of them as criminals? Elizabeth huffed out a breath, her hand brushing over the poster for Ban, then for Merlin, before finally resting on his own._

 _Her expression turned to one of confusion, and Meliodas could not help but chuckle to himself._ How _that wanted picture looked so unlike him he could never get to the bottom of; he could only imagine what Elizabeth was thinking. After staring for several long minutes, she continued reading the signs. He was surprised to see several advertising specials around the arrival of the comet, and a notice from the town that the square would be open that evening for the people to come out and watch._

 _Suddenly she reached out and yanked a flier from the board. His eyes grew as large as hers when he saw the advertisement was for the Boar Hat._

 _Spinning around, Elizabeth dashed to the first person she saw, showing them the poster. The person pointed, and with a hurried thanks she ran down a side street. It led to the edge of the town, but once she cleared the buildings he saw a small rise up ahead—and at the top, his own tavern._

 _The bell jingled its familiar sound as she entered. The main room was crowded, and Elizabeth edged inside, slipping through the bodies as she inched towards the bar counter. Meliodas watched her, but then realized he was_ himself _—behind the bar, pouring one drink after another. Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone sit down on a stool, but was too busy listening to the more rowdy customers at the other end._

 _He had almost forgotten about the girl who had sat down until he heard his name. "Meliodas!" It was so sweet, and so unlike the rougher voices of the men, that it caught his attention. "Meliodas!"_

 _He went to the end and looked at the girl calling his name, his eyebrows raised, wondering how she knew what it was. She was grinning at him, her smile so beautiful he could not help but stare. "Meliodas!" she said again, her eyes bright. "It's me!"_

" _Huh?" He blinked, frowning. He for sure would have remembered a girl this gorgeous._

 _Her face fell. "Don't you… remember?"_

" _Sorry, who are you?"_

 _Another customer called for a drink, and he turned, distracted, to look over his shoulder. "Hey, did you want to order something?" asked Meliodas as he glanced back._

 _Her head was down and her cheeks on fire. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and he thought,_ what a weird girl _._

" _Come on, we need drinks over here!" The crowd at the counter moved a bit, and as Meliodas' eyes went to see what was causing the trouble, he saw her sliding off of her stool in the corner of his eye._

" _Wait a minute!" he snapped at the customer, who glowered back at him. But Meliodas ignored the idiot and went back to the girl—who was now gone._

 _His eyes scanned the crowd and saw a flash of silver hair. "Hey!" he called. Quickly he hurried around the counter, once more ignoring the protests, and elbowed his way through the throng._ I have got to find more help, running this bar by myself is too much _, he thought for a moment._

" _Hold on!" Meliodas reached her, throwing his hand out and grazing her arm. "What's your name?"_

 _She turned, and her blue eye flashed. "It's Elizabeth."_

" _Elizabeth? Hey, wait a second—"_

" _It's Elizabeth!" The crowd was so loud, and someone pushed him; he reached out a hand to stop her, but instead felt something small pressed into his. Meliodas felt a hand grab his vest and yank him aside. He turned and shrugged the rude customer away, but when he spun around to look for the girl again, she was gone._

Meliodas shook his head. "Three years ago," he said to himself, his heart beating so fast it felt as though it would burst, "three years ago, you showed up at the Boar Hat… you came to see… me."

* * *

At the other end of the hallway, Elizabeth slowly climbed to her feet. The tears had finally stopped, and she took one step, and then another, her eyes on the ground, pulling the vest closer around Meliodas' body against a wind that blew sharply and chilled her. She felt so heavy with the weight of everything that had happened. Was she dead? Was Meliodas dead? Where was she, and how?

"Elizabeth!"

Startled, she looked up. Someone screamed her name again, but it was _her_ , it was _her voice_!

"Meliodas?" she called.

"Elizabeth!" There it came again, and her mouth dropped open in shock. "You're here, right? You're here, inside my body?"

She gasped. "Meliodas?" Elizabeth turned around, looking around for him. His voice was so close, but there was nothing to see but the emptiness of Liones' ruins. "Meliodas, where are you?"

* * *

Meliodas jogged down the hallway, his eyes crawling over the walls and floor, looking for a clue or a door or a window, somewhere where she could be. "That's Elizabeth, I know it is!" he muttered to himself. "I know I heard her… but where is she?"

"Meliodas!" There it came again, and it was _his voice_ calling out to himself. "Meliodas!"

"I'm here!" he shouted. "Elizabeth, I'm here!"

He took off in a run, barreling down the hallway towards the door. Maybe she was down under the ground, with the horn? Would her voice travel that far? He picked up the pace, the door getting closer and closer with every passing second until—

* * *

They both stop. Something is there, pulling each backwards, and both freeze where they stand, scared to move, scared to breathe. But then they both turn, slowly, as the light in the hallway gets a bit brighter with the setting sun shining, and the light outside gets a bit dimmer as the time passes into twilight.

"Elizabeth, is that you?"

"Meliodas, are you there?"

Each reaches out a hand, grasping for something invisible. They each reach for something they cannot name: a feeling, a ghost, a moment that will fill the emptiness of the hallway and the field, the emptiness inside of them.

From the side, a purple glow catches the attention of both. Deep within Liones, the goddess power awakens, and the Horn of Cernunnos flares with a gasping energy. This meeting of two souls fuels the dormant curse that lived between them and within them, and whatever goddess magic is left in the world responds to the power that is Meliodas and Elizabeth, together.

Elizabeth blinks at the violet-colored glow, and then turns her head back. As she does, she sees Meliodas there, doing the same. She is trembling, unable to think, unable to draw a breath: it is the one she knows, and she recognizes him, not only from this mysterious force that has drawn them together over the past months. No, she recognizes him from before, and before, and before, back over thousands of years, as another mysterious force had brought them together, staring in awe at one another just like this: love.

Then, Meliodas does something amazing: he smiles. He tilts his head and huffs out a little laugh, the sound more precious than anything in the world. "Elizabeth," he says, gently, and looks up into her eyes.

A long moment passes as they take in the sight of the other. Meliodas admires her as he always has, the beautiful face now dusted pink and wet with tears, her eyes shimmering as she stares in wonder. Elizabeth does not notice at all, blinking them away with long lashes, a sob welling up inside of her to see the familiar half-grin and green eyes that had captivated her so long ago.

"Meliodas," she finally says, and takes a step forward. "Is it really you?"

Her arms go out, and so do his, and they embrace. Her face presses into his neck as his own goes to her hair, their hands clutching one another, unable to get close enough. All is silent as they simply hold one another, their hearts and souls connecting once more.

Elizabeth has experienced this before; as she holds her love tightly, the memories of all of their times meeting floods through her, filling her with emotion. She tilts her face a bit, her lips brushing on his skin, sighing to find he still feels the same, still tastes the same. One hand slides through the long locks that cover his neck, and she feels the strong arms around her tighten.

Meliodas, however, experiences this for the first time. Each time they had met, he already knew her; how could he ever not recognize Elizabeth, the other half of himself? But this time, it is different, because he had forgotten. The question of _how_ and _why_ is pushed underneath his own wonderment: is this how she has felt, every time, all one hundred and six times they have met before? Does she feel this same overwhelming incredulity, this wave of feeling that has left him breathless and relieved all at the same time?

They hold one another, until Elizabeth eases back. Her hands cup his face, the tears flowing freely, and Meliodas' heart skips when she laughs. "Meliodas?" Her thumbs graze his cheeks as he smiles at her. "Is it really you?"

"I came all this way to see you," he replies, his arms still around her waist. "It wasn't easy, since you were so far away this time."

"But how?" she whispers. "Back then, I…"

"I left a request for the goddess." Meliodas chuckles as his fingers spread across her back. "I can't believe they listened to me."

Elizabeth sucks in a breath and takes a step back. "The goddess? In the Horn? Meliodas, the curse!"

"I know," he says sadly. "I remember it too."

She sighs, leaning in once more to graze her forehead against his. Their lips are barely touching, and Elizabeth looks deeply into his eyes, the memory of their parents and the curse and the pain of dying and living piercing like a knife… until Meliodas drags his hands downward and grabs a handful of her backside.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, jumping away. "You-!"

He is laughing even as she blushes, and Elizabeth folds her arms in a not-entirely-sincere show of indignity. "You are still such a pervert!"

"What?" Meliodas looks surprised and reaches out for her, but Elizabeth scowls. "I remember what you were doing. You were always touching me, when you _were_ me!"

Meliodas laughs and rubs the back of his neck. "You know it's not like I never—"

"Veronica saw you!" she accuses. "It was embarrassing!"

"I couldn't help myself!" he pleads. "It's not my fault you're so perfect!"

Hearing this, Elizabeth pauses; how can she argue with _that_? "Yeah, well," she mumbles, glancing at him through her lashes, "I can't believe after all this time you're still trying to get in a grope."

"It was just the one time," says Meliodas sheepishly.

Elizabeth snorts. "The _one_ time?"

"Look, I'm sorry…"

Elizabeth laughs, and suddenly the emotion bubbles up and over. She is laughing, and Meliodas joins her, and it goes on for a long moment as she is nearly doubled over and he has his face buried in one hand. The sound of their laughter echoes, and Meliodas looks up. In the distance, a streak of blue is parting the sky; the comet is approaching.

He shoves his hands in his pockets, and then his eyes go wide. She watches as he pulls them out again, opening up one palm. Inside is the blue earring, and on instinct Elizabeth reaches up and brushes her earlobe, finding it gone.

"Almost forgot about this," Meliodas says, and then extends his hand. "You gave this to me, at the tavern… but it was before we started switching, and I didn't know you then." Elizabeth carefully plucks the blue bead from his hand, and he watches her as she slips it into her ear. "I've kept it for three years, but I think it's time you had it back."

She smiles at him and tucks her hair behind her ear. The light glances off of the bead as her finger traces the shape of it. "What do you think?" she asks.

Meliodas grins. "Beautiful as ever."

They smile at one another; she reaches out, and so does he, and their fingers lace together. "Elizabeth," he says, sadly. "You still have a lot to do."

She looks up, her eyes tracing the path of the comet. "I know," she breathes. "Hendrickson… I have to stop him."

"It's more than that," Meliodas says, their eyes meeting again. "The curse… Elizabeth, I forgot you. I've been forgetting you every day. But this is the first time! I've always known who you were, I've kept the memories of us this entire time. But _this_ time, I forgot."

"What does it mean?" she murmurs.

"I think the curse is beginning to break," he says. He hangs his head a bit, the bangs falling into his eyes. "You are supposed to die and be reborn, and that happened—but I'm supposed to remember and find you again."

"But… I didn't," Elizabeth interrupts, blinking at him. "I didn't die—at least, not the way I am supposed to. This time, I didn't die in front of you."

His mouth drops open as his pulse quickens. "You're right! You died here, while I was in Dalmary—Elizabeth! This could be what breaks our curse."

She gives a shaking laugh and her cheeks flush in excitement. "I need to go back. I need to stop Hendrickson. I have to live, and then I'll—"

Meliodas shivers as she slides her fingers through his hair, tracing the shape of his face. "I'll find _you_ , this time."

But her touch is bittersweet at best. "We might not remember." His voice is shaking, and he is surprised to feel tears welling in his eyes. Elizabeth is the one who cries, not him. "What if we don't remember? What if we get rid of this curse and I never see you again? We could break this curse and then not remember each other at all."

"Maybe not," she whispers sadly. "But I have to save them."

He swallows thickly, nodding. Elizabeth would give up this chance for them to be together if it meant saving the lives of others. That is who he loves, the goddess he has known all this time. There is no question… even though, deep inside, he feels as though this is the last time he will ever see her.

The purple light from the Horn suddenly begins to glow again, rising from the ground, and they both look at each other in alarm. "We're running out of time," she says. "It's almost over." He searches her face, knowing she is right.

So Meliodas pulls her against him, and her arms go around his neck, and their lips meet; he kisses her slowly, tasting her, memorizing the feel of her, so surely he will remember.

And Elizabeth kisses him back, her lashes damp as they brush on his skin, her fingers digging a bit into the muscles of his back, so that she will always remember.

"I have an idea," he says against her mouth. Elizabeth looks down at him through hooded eyes, and he pulls a pen from his pocket. Meliodas takes her hand, and she watches as he writes on her palm. "Let's write our names down," he says, giving her a wink. "That way, when this is over, we'll be sure to remember."

Elizabeth nods. When he is finished, she takes the pen, and then takes his hand. She looks at the palm and the fingers that she knows as well as her own, that have destroyed and created, that have brought her pleasure, brought her joy. "We'll remember," she whispers, and draws the pen over his—

* * *

The pen made a click as it hit the floor. Meliodas stared at the ground, the pen rolling for a second over the grass until it rested against his boot. He gasped, startled to see his own feet and legs, before his head snapped up. He was in Liones, but his _own_ Liones, that was nothing more than ruin, in his own body.

"Elizabeth?" He turned, looking for her, knowing she would be gone. The light had faded now that the sun was below the horizon. The world was covered in shades of blue and violet, and as he got his bearings, he looked down at his hand.

"Elizabeth?" There was a single pen stroke on his hand, the start of the letter E. He rubbed the thumb of his other hand over it, the blood rushing in his ears. "I wanted to tell you something. No matter where you are in the world, I'll find you again. I swear it."

He looked up and saw the moon just coming into view. "Your name is Elizabeth."

Meliodas breathed a sigh of relief. She may not have gotten to write her name down on his hand, but he remembered it anyway. "It'll be okay! I'll remember. Your name is Elizabeth."

He grinned to himself, thinking of the first time he saw her, silver hair flying, lovely white wings spanning outwards. "Elizabeth."

Then again, the curly hair framing her face as she glared at him, on the ground from her punch across his face. "Elizabeth."

The shining blue eyes of a servant girl, smiling shyly at him. "Elizabeth."

Riding a horse, laughing, glancing at him flirtatiously over her shoulder. "Elizabeth."

Sitting on his lap, kissing his temple, his muscles sore from fighting as her healing magic slowly relaxed him. "Elizabeth."

Her mouth passionate against his neck, their bodies rolling together in bliss. "Elizabeth."

Pink hair heavy with the rain, blood trickling from her mouth as she smiled at him. "Your name is Elizabeth."

Long silver hair falling over one eye as she looked in the mirror. "Your name is—"

Meliodas gasped. What was it? It was just out of reach, he was _just_ saying it, what was it again? He dropped to his knees, scrambling on the ground for the pen. He knew her name, he just had to get it down. He needed to remember.

A cold breeze blew by, and with it, his thoughts scattered like papers blowing on the wind. He choked on a breath, looking around, as if he could catch a glimpse of one of the pictures that had just been flipping through his mind's eye.

 _Write it down!_ he scolded himself. Meliodas lifted his palm and pressed the tip of the pen into his skin.

But it was shaking, and he realized his hand was trembling. "Who… are you?" he whispered.

Meliodas looked up, startled to see the empty grounds around him. "What did I even come here for?"

The tremor that traveled all the way through his arm made him drop the pen. He glanced back down at his hand, where a single line of ink stood out against his skin, and he said, "I came here to see her! I came to save her! I came because I wanted her to be alive! But who?" Slowly he climbed to his feet, his eyes darting around for a clue. "Who? Who was it? It was someone precious to me." He pressed his face into his hands, tears rolling down his face. "Someone… someone I don't want to forget! But who? Who? _WHO_?"

Looking up, he cried out, his vision blurred as he screamed, " _What's your name?!_ "

Sobbing, he raised his hand. The ink on his skin was now almost gone, the streak a blurred and smeared from his tears.


	10. The Storm

**Chapter 10: The Storm**

 _Been looking everywhere for you_  
 _I follow the sound of your innocent laughter_  
 _And it guided me in the right way_  
 _Even if every piece of you disappeared_  
 _And if it scattered everywhere_  
 _No, I won't waver, I will start back at one_  
 _Look for you all over again_

* * *

Elizabeth ran down the hallway, heading back to the courtyard of the castle. "Meliodas!" she panted, holding her skirts as she hurried, flinging open the door and spilling out into the twilight. "Meliodas! I won't forget! I won't forget, Meliodas!"

She elbowed her way through the crowd that was gathering, the citizens of Liones milling about as they greeted one another and were directed towards the tower by the guards. "Meliodas, Meliodas, Meliodas," she said to herself, over and over, like a chant. "Your name is Meliodas, I won't forget, I won't ever forget. Meliodas."

People were pointing at the sky, the comet just coming into view. Elizabeth ran around the groups forming and headed towards the stone steps that would take her up, up, towards the trellis that led to the tower that would soon be filled with people and fire. Briefly she paused, searching for her friends, when she spotted Howzer's blonde hair. "Howzer!" she called, waving a hand, and the knight turned as she hurried over.

Elizabeth stopped, panting with her hands on her knees. "Where have you been?" he cried. "We looked all over for you."

"Sorry," she answered, catching her breath. "He says sorry."

"He? He who?"

"Me!" Elizabeth looked up with wide eyes.

Howzer shrugged. "Explain it to me later. Let's go."

Together they took off again, running to the other end of the trellis but trying not to _look_ like they were running. There were some disapproving stares from the nobles gathering and a shout from one of the Holy Knights, but the two friends ignored them as they hurried. "Here," Howzer said finally, pulling her towards the railing.

This little section was nearly deserted, the angle not right for looking at the comet, blocked by the main building of the castle. After a quick sweep to make sure they were alone, Elizabeth looked down to see more people, gulping at the children who zipped excitedly around their parents. "Where is Jericho?" she asked.

"On the other side," he answered, nodding towards the opposing trellis that wrapped around the castle. "We practiced earlier, and we can get maximum effect if we are on different angles." Howzer looked at Elizabeth and raised an eyebrow. "Still sure about this?"

"Yes," she said firmly.

"The Holy Knights are really going to attack?" His voice shook just a tiny bit. "They are going to raise a demon and…"

Elizabeth nodded. "I saw it with my own eyes."

Howzer blinked, and then smiled. "I guess we're all criminals now then."

He leaned back, raising an arm, as if to look up at the sky; but Elizabeth noticed he had a smaller version of his lance in his hand. " _Rising Tornado_ ," he called, firmly but quietly.

At once the air began to move, and Elizabeth pushed her hair back. Her fingertip brushed the bead now hanging from her ear, and the feel of it gave her new confidence. "Meliodas," she whispered again, sucking in a deep breath as the winds picked up speed. This was the right thing to do, even if it meant breaking the curse, and even if breaking the curse meant they would lose their memories of one another.

 _But I won't_ , she thought to herself. _I'll never forget. I'll find you, when this is all over. I'll find you, Meliodas._

Elizabeth glanced over the railing again. People were looking around, clutching their hats and cloaks around them, grabbing hands of little ones. She was pleased to see the reactions to the ever-increasing winds, but they were laughing, surprised more than alarmed. Many were moving even _closer_ to the castle, still pointing up towards the comet in the sky. Now they just needed to get them _moving_.

"Is this going to work?" she called at Howzer.

He shrugged. "Hell if I know."

"Princess Elizabeth!" she turned at the sound of her name, seeing a Holy Knight heading towards them.

Quickly she moved towards him, not wanting him to see what Howzer was doing. Her dress whipped around her and she stumbled a bit against the force of the winds. "Yes? What is it?" she yelled, her voice thin over the rushing air.

"Sir Hendrickson says you are to be protected!" the knight shouted back. "You are to stay with me!"

"I have protection!" she called, pointing behind her. "You need to get these people out of here, there is a storm coming!"

The knight frowned, looking up. "A storm?" he said. "It's just a bit of wind, it's—"

Then, at once, the ice began to fall. People began shouting in surprise, and Elizabeth winced as ice pellets began pelting her arms and head. Then the winds picked up, swirling the precipitation around, and the princess found herself nearly blinded with the ice and snow, the calls of the citizens around her faint through the howling of the wind.

"I've got you!" Howzer's hand was on her arm, and he tugged her away from the Holy Knight and back towards the castle. "Let's go, we gotta get these people out of here!"

Elizabeth clutched at him to steady herself, and together they took off back towards the crowd, shouting as they went, "Move! Go! Get out of the castle, it's not safe!"

The storm was raging now, snow beginning to lay at their feet. Elizabeth slipped a bit as they hurried down the steps, gasping as Howzer kept her upright. "Go, move!" he yelled, letting her go to making a shooing motion with his hands. Citizens turned and looked in confusion, holding on to each other for balance as they milled around, trying to figure out what to do. "Everyone! Run! Go, get out of here!"

"It's not safe! Run, please!" Elizabeth called.

Yet still the storm was causing more confusion than panic. There were even a few people laughing, scooping up snow to throw at one another, and Howzer stopped and grabbed Elizabeth by her shoulder to steady them both. "It's not working," he growled in frustration. "Elizabeth, we need to think of something!"

She turned and looked at him, and saw a look of shock register on his face. Just then, she felt the first tear fall, then another, the stream of water like fire on her freezing and flushed cheeks. Elizabeth gasped, and Howzer leaned in to examine her. "What's wrong?"

"What is it?" She blinked at him, snowflakes falling on her lashes, and choked back a sob. "I can't remember what his name is anymore!"

Howzer took a deep breath, and then his brows drew down. "What is with you?" he hissed, waving his hand angrily. "You're the one who started all of this!" People were starting to look, and Elizabeth took a step back, her body trembling. "We can't evacuate these people without the Holy Knights," he went on. "So get going. You have to convince the king."

Elizabeth huffed a breath and nodded, knowing he was right. She spun and took off, hurrying as fast as she could through the crowd, and heard Howzer calling behind her, "Everyone! Go! The storm is only getting worse, get out of the castle!"

The steps were slippery but Elizabeth took no heed. She heard someone call her name, but down she went, jumping the last few and landing hard on her knees. With a grunt she was up again, brushing off hands that reached out to help her. Ignoring the way her legs were now screaming, she continued on, turning a corner to find the closest entrance into the main castle, wanting the fastest route to the throne room—

When suddenly, the storm stopped.

"No," she whispered, looking up. So did everyone else, standing and looking at the sky that was now clearing of snow. Elizabeth whirled around, searching back the way she had come, but could not see anything over the crowd. "They must have gotten Howzer and Jericho," she moaned to herself.

"May I have your attention!" Everyone turned, including Elizabeth, to see Great Holy Knight Hendrickson standing above on the trellis. "The storm is now over. Just a prank by a few of our younger ones. They will be dealt with, but in the meantime, we must ask that everyone stay _exactly_ where they are."

The crowd murmured, and Elizabeth swallowed thickly, shaking a bit in fear. He looked out over the crowd, and then his eyes landed on her. "Stay just right there," the knight finished with a smile. "We need to make sure everyone involved is apprehended."

Elizabeth gasped. Once more she hurried, but this time she went in the opposite direction, her fear pushing her through the crowds now standing and chatting. The light in the sky from the comet was growing, and she knew now it was just a matter of time; she had to get to her father now, before it was too late.

There was another way into the castle, a side door that would cut out a bit of the crowd and make it easier for her to get to the throne room. This is the direction in which she now headed, and Elizabeth hurried down the steps of the castle, through the door and into the tower.

Thankfully, it was completely deserted. The only sound was her frantic breathing, her panting echoing with her footsteps as she rounded another corner and took off down one corridor after another, grateful for once that everyone was outside. Through the castle she hurried, her lungs screaming and her body trembling, her legs sore, her head pounding. The comet was getting closer, and she strained to hear the sounds of screams at any moment. She had to get to him.

"Who?"

The question echoed in her mind as she hurried up a set of stairs, two at a time.

"Who? Who is he?"

Elizabeth panted when she reached the top, pushing herself to keep going, keep running.

 _He's someone precious. Someone precious to me._

 _Someone I shouldn't forget. Someone I didn't want to forget!_

Elizabeth choked back a cry, skidding down another set of steps, then running, running, as the question echoed in her mind and she gasped out, "Who? Who are you?" Tears began to fall again, blurring her vision. "What's your name?"

Her foot caught on the floor, and Elizabeth cried out. Then she was falling down the stairs, rolling over the stone, unable to stop herself as her body bounced over and over again.

Finally, she came to a stop. Every part of her hurt, her head pounding; cuts dotted her skin, screaming and smarting, her right hip aching, her ankle throbbing. Elizabeth huffed out a breath and curled onto her side, sinking against the cold and silent stone floor. Her eyes were closed, and she focused on breathing, trying to ignore the pain as the sweat on her skin began to sting.

"I have an idea. Let's write our names down. That way, when this is over, we'll be sure to remember."

His voice was loud and clear in her mind, as though he was there, standing right next to her. _Who? Whose voice is that?_

Elizabeth sighed and opened her eyes. In front of her was her hand, scraped and bleeding on one side, her fingers clenched into a fist. She heaved one deep breath after another, staring at her hand, before slowly, slowly, she uncurled it.

On her palm, written in black ink, in a script as familiar to her now as her own, were the words: _I love you_.

Elizabeth's eyes went wide. Carefully she sat up, feeling a tear slide down her cheek and drip from her nose. She stared at the writing on her palm as her chest shook with each breath. Then she climbed to her feet, limping slightly as she leaned on one foot, favoring the tender ankle that was throbbing with her weight.

Once more she looked at her palm, and as more tears began to fall, she gave a little laugh. "This won't help," she whimpered.

She closed her fist and pressed it against her forehead, wanting to be close to him, clinging to this last bit that she had. "This won't help me remember your name," she said sadly.

For a moment she stood there, quietly weeping. _Who? Who are you?_

She couldn't remember. His name was gone. But what she _did_ know was her own, and what she had to do.

Elizabeth sucked in a breath and began running. New determination silenced her protesting body as she fled down the halls, pushing herself as she got closer and closer to the throne room, until she was there, pushing open the door, nearly falling inside.

"Father!" she called as she stumbled, grabbing onto the doors as she leaned over to catch her breath.

Veronica and Margaret were there, as well as a few Holy Knights, and all turned to look at her. But when Elizabeth looked up, she stared straight at the king, who slowly stood from his throne. "Elizabeth," he scolded. "Don't tell me you're back."

She stood tall, squared her shoulders, and strode into the room. She watched as the king gasped, taking a step backwards, but Elizabeth was determined, and would not be turned away. Not this time.

* * *

On the roof of the Boar Hat, Meliodas sat with Hawk, watching the comet streak across the sky. He raised a mug of ale and took a sip, leaning back a bit on his elbows so he could relax.

"It's amazing!" Hawk squealed. "I'm so glad we closed early, we couldn't miss this!"

"Right as always," Meliodas sighed. The bright blue that streaked through the sky was beautiful, and it stirred something inside of him. "It's almost like… something out of a dream," he went on. "Nothing more or less than a breathtaking view."

The two companions watched as the comet continued its journey, sitting in a comfortable silence. Meliodas took another sip, and then reached into his pocket absentmindedly. His fingers brushed a little round object, and as he and Hawk enjoyed the sight of the comet, he rolled it between his fingers, his heart pounding with unexplainable joy.


	11. Your Name

**Chapter 11: Your Name**

 _Since one day you will disappear_  
 _I'll keep every part of you_  
 _Make sure that it's burned into the back of my eyes_  
 _It's not a right that I'm due_  
 _My duty that is must have been kept_

 _Even the second, hour hands of the clock_  
 _They look at us sideways as they tick and tock_  
 _How I hope to have forever to spend_  
 _This life, no—all future lives_  
 _Right here in this world with you_

* * *

Meliodas stared at his hand, his eyes tracing on the lines that crisscrossed on his skin. The crosshatching was familiar of course, his skin a patchwork of callouses and scars that had healed, burns from cooking and redness from cleaning, but for some reason, something was missing.

"Captain," someone said, and he looked up. The tavern was full, customers jostling at the counter, and his eyes connected with Diane, who stood impatiently with a hand on her hip. "You have those drinks ready?" she asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Yeah," he said, shaking his head to clear it. It was noisy, and the sound seemed to get louder all of a sudden. Bits of conversation floated over the clanking of glasses and shouting and laughter, so that it was easy for Meliodas to slide back into his role as bartender.

The Boar Hat had been bustling like this every night since they were now free from the Ten Commandments; three long years of war, followed by two years of reconstruction, and now Britannia was recovered and at peace. The Seven Deadly Sins, without a kingdom to call home, traveled from city to city in their mobile tavern, attracting the attention and patronage of everyone within miles. It was a good living, and a fun life, and what Meliodas had always wanted. He was free from fighting and war, and could just _enjoy_ …

He slid a bottle to another customer, pausing to scoop up the coins on the counter, when a woman's laughter caught his attention. He peeked up and saw a flash of silver in the crowd, and for a moment, he was frozen. Then he moved, jumping over the counter and landing easily, the customers nearby laughing at his antics.

Quickly he pushed his way through the crowd, looking for the girl with the silver hair, but he couldn't find her. Eventually he ended up at the door, and he opened it and stepped out, staring into the twilight. With a disappointed sigh, he hung his head for a moment before returning to his spot behind the counter.

* * *

Meliodas was searching for something, but what he couldn't say. It was a feeling that had consumed him for some time. And his friends noticed.

Ban would clap him on the back when he was off in one of his daydreams. "Welcome back, Captain," he'd laugh, and Meliodas would brush him off, or even give him a punch back.

Gowther would eye him curiously, and Meliodas would be sure not to let him look in his head. Merlin too, for that matter; last thing he wanted was to be an experiment for either one of them.

Diane and King usually didn't notice much, now that they had noticed each other. But when they did, their questions were a little too pointed.

Escanor, surprisingly, seemed to be the most sympathetic. "The search for meaning is endless," he told him one night as they were cleaning after the bar closed. "And it should be; for what would become of us, if we stopped searching for our hearts' desires?"

"Happy," Ban had quipped, making the others laugh.

But Meliodas frowned. "I am happy. Britannia is at peace. We have everything we worked for, and it's happening now."

"Is it?" Escanor had asked, pushing his glasses up his nose.

* * *

"Is it something, or someone?" Meliodas sighed.

"Talking to yourself again?"

He cringed and looked over at Merlin, who was smirking at him a bit. She crossed the balcony until she stood next to him and leaned against the railing, her eyes scanning their surroundings. "Still feeling off?"

"I'm fine," Meliodas assured her.

Merlin nodded. "Yes, sitting and talking to yourself are signs of well-being." He pursed his lips and looked over at her smirk. "But I have an idea for you."

"Can't wait to hear it," he muttered.

She turned and leaned her back on the wooden rail, perching on her elbows. "Perhaps the tavern life isn't for you," she suggested.

"How do you mean?" he asked.

Merlin smiled. "There are many kingdoms in need of Holy Knights, Camelot included. I have it on good authority someone of your ranking and reputation would easily become a Grand Master in no time." She winked at him then, and Meliodas huffed. "I could even put in a word for you with Arthur."

"Thanks anyway," he laughed, shaking his head.

"A new profession could be what snaps you out of this," she said, surprisingly without any of her usual barb. "The Boar Hat is fun, but you're not a bartender. You are a warrior. You need something to protect."

"I want to protect my wallet," he joked.

Merlin looked at him curiously. "Being a knight would make you more money than this place ever would, if that is your worry. In fact, at this moment, Liones is hunting for a new Great Holy Knight."

"Liones?" he said in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Apparently the kingdom is trying to make a comeback. It has been eight years, after all." She folded her arms as the news sat between them. "Do you remember when we went there?" she asked quietly. "It was…"

"Five years ago," he murmured.

"That long?" Merlin tapped her finger on her chin. "It seems as though I've forgotten a lot."

"I don't remember all that much back then either," admitted Meliodas.

"That was before we found the others, was it not?" she asked. "Before the second Holy War. Did we argue? I remember you had left for a day or two."

"I spent a night alone in the wreckage," he admitted. "I don't remember why. But for a while, I was really drawn to that place. I was interested in what had happened there."

He looked down at his hand, studying the patterns of lines. "That's where the demons were raised, wasn't it?" Merlin wondered.

Meliodas nodded, curling his fingers into a fist. "The Grand Master was corrupt and raised a demon. But miraculously, the people had been evacuated from the city. There were only a handful of casualties, and the Holy Knights had been ready to fight. They were able to stop him and kill the demon, even though the castle and the land was destroyed."

"What luck," she mused.

"There were a lot of rumors about how the king knew it was coming," Meliodas said. "I remember hearing people talk about him having prophetic visions of some kind. There was a weird freak storm that night too; but it's all just stories. There's no telling what the truth really is, because soon after the war broke out."

Merlin nodded. "If I remember correctly, the king died not long after. His daughter assumed the throne, but with the war was unable to get the financial backing to rebuild." She dipped her head towards him. "Until now, that is. The queen is rebuilding Liones, and Arthur is helping with supplies and men. But they need a Grand Master. You should think about applying for the job."

"I don't know anything about Liones," he argued.

"It's something to think about at least," she replied. "You seem to be searching for something. I just want you to find it, and maybe find some peace yourself."

Merlin turned to go back inside, and Meliodas watched her walk away before looking back at the sun, which was just beginning to set.

* * *

Meliodas was in town buying supplies when the rain started. It looked as though it wouldn't last long, just one of those little pop-up storms that happen in summer, so instead of hiking back to the Boar Hat and getting soaked, he decided to wait it out first. They were in a new town, not far from Camelot, one of many that had sprung up and grown rapidly with the new trade routes established after the end of the war.

Across from the general supply store was a little café, and amused, Meliodas headed over. There was a bell over the door that jingled as he walked in, and after running his hand through his hair, took a seat at a little table near the window so he could keep track of the weather.

A waitress came over a minute later with a menu. "Do you want a coffee?" she asked.

He smiled at her but shook his head. "Just some hot tea. But…" His eyes traced over the menu, and for an absurd moment, he wanted a fancy dessert. "I'll take a raspberry cake too."

She nodded and headed back beyond the counter, and Meliodas looked out the window. A little treat would help the mood he had been in for sure. It had been several weeks since Merlin had suggested he return to being a knight, and if he had to admit it, he had been tempted. Having orders to follow and soldiers at his command felt natural, and Meliodas did feel like he was missing doing some good in the world. But how could he leave the others, and what would he do with the Boar Hat? And he just got done fighting, did he want to start again?

He was deep in thought when his tea and cake arrived, the waitress pulling him from the daydream. As he stirred sugar into the hot drink a bit of conversation caught his ear.

"I think we should find somewhere bigger for the ceremony," a female voice said.

"They're all the same," her companion, a male, groaned.

"Yes, but we have a lot of guests coming to the wedding."

Meliodas took a sip and smiled to himself. Poor fools didn't know better than to not fall in love. "Doesn't matter," the man said, "if it's warm enough we'll be outside anyway."

"Oh, that reminds me! Howzer, you need to do something about that hair. I'm going on a diet for this you know."

Meliodas froze. Slowly he placed his teacup down as he listened to their argument.

"She says as she eats more cake."

"I'll be serious tomorrow!"

"Whatever you say, Jericho."

Swallowing thickly, Meliodas turned his head. The table the voices had been coming from was now empty, and he heard the bell of the door jingle. Spinning around, he watched as two people hurried out into the rain, squeezing together under one umbrella.

* * *

Meliodas sat in his room, watching the snow falling outside. Everyone was gone, having closed the tavern for a couple of days and letting everyone have some rest. The other Sins had cleared out, some heading to the Fairy King's Forest with King, Merlin checking in at Camelot, Gowther going who-knows-where. It was peaceful for sure, maybe a little too much.

Antsy now, he went to his closet and pulled out a box of old drawings. He hadn't drawn in _ages_ , years maybe; but his fingers had energy inside them that was pricking at his nerves. Meliodas carried it all to the little table, but before finding a blank bit of paper, he instead started leafing through the pictures he had saved from years ago.

He smiled at some of the sketches of his companions, pictures of landscapes and armor, designs from when he first bought the Boar Hat. There were even pictures that looked like a dream, sketches of women and figures he didn't recognize, but somehow familiar.

Inside the sketchbook were several loose sheets, and one by one he pulled them out to examine them. It was of a castle, and Meliodas recognized them from before the Holy War. What was the name of this place?

 _Liones_.

That's right, Liones, and he frowned as he looked at one after another. They were pictures of the castle façade, rooms and corridors, flags, the city buildings: sketches of a place that was no longer there. But looking at them made his chest feel so tight, and Meliodas could not explain the sear in the back of his throat.

Deciding he needed some air, he headed out the door. The snow was barely sticking, just on the grass mostly, and he pulled his coat around him as he walked towards the village. They were somewhere in central Britannia, maybe even a bit north; it had been months of travelling from one stop to another, and Meliodas didn't bother much in remembering where or why. The road that led to the town was nearly deserted, and he enjoyed the silence and the cold, brisk air as he walked.

The sign at the entrance read "Dalmary Town", and Meliodas smiled. He had been here before certainly, and as he walked through the empty streets, he recognized a few things, even as things had changed since the war. It had been years since he was here, but a sense of being in the right place made the uncomfortable confusion from earlier settle a bit.

The storm had kept the day from any sunlight, but at the normal time for sunset Meliodas noticed the shift from dim to darkness and decided to head back to the tavern. The snow was still falling steadily in big, round snowflakes, sticking to his coat and his hair. He smiled to himself as he walked, just a few people passing by as they hurried to their destinations, enjoying the quiet stillness of the town.

He passed a young woman with an umbrella, wearing a long coat and bundled under a thick scarf. Meliodas glanced at her as they passed one another, and did not think a thing of it until a little glint of something caught his eye. After a few more steps he paused, thinking, wondering what it was, before realizing it had been an earring dangling from her ear.

Meliodas looked over his shoulder, watching as she moved farther and farther away. It was a little blue bead that had caught his attention, and he frowned. Who cared about a random girl and her earring? But his heart was fluttering just the same, and for a moment he considered calling out to her, or even following her.

Instead, he watched as the snow covered her footsteps, turning to continue his walk home with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

* * *

It was the first day of spring, and Camelot was decked out for a festival to celebrate the anniversaries of the king's coronation and the end of the Second Holy War. Meliodas tapped his foot impatiently as he stood listening to the speeches, giving Ban an elbow as the man stifled another yawn. "How much longer is this gonna go on~" he complained.

"It'll be over soon enough," he murmured. "Merlin is being honored, and we should be here for her."

"As long as the booze is flowing at the after party I'm good," Ban joked.

Meliodas snorted and turned his attention back to the ceremony. Arthur was speaking, looking every bit of the king he was meant to be and not like the young, overly enthusiastic young man he had met years ago in the war. Merlin had been mentoring him throughout the years, and he was generous in return. The two had formed an interesting alliance as they both benefited from her work and her magic.

He honored her now, as well as other heroes of the war, then spoke of those that had been lost. Interestingly, he began to speak of the first demon that had appeared in the war: a red demon that had appeared in Liones.

Meliodas stood a bit straighter. "The loss of Liones was a loss for all of Britannia," Arthur pronounced. "That is why it has been my deepest honor to give aid to Queen Margaret and the citizens who have been working tirelessly these past years to rebuild."

Margaret! Meliodas gasped when Arthur held out his hand, and the queen stepped forward. Her lavender hair was pulled back and pinned beautifully under her crown, and the two monarchs embraced as she stepped up to give her own remarks of thanks and friendship. But he could barely hear, the blood in his ears rushing frantically, pounding in his veins.

"You all right there Cap'n?" Ban asked. "You look like you seen a ghost."

 _A ghost_. Why was this so… familiar? Strange? He looked down at his hand, staring at his skin, and wondered why. All this time, since the war—since before the war—he was always searching for someone.

His eyes darted back up and he scanned the group of nobles that were standing on the balcony with the king, when his gaze landed on a girl standing to the side, smiling at the queen, her long silver hair blowing slightly in the breeze.

Meliodas gasped, his heart stopping. Then, the impossible: she looked over the crowd, and their eyes connected.

Her mouth fell open, her eyes widened, and Meliodas knew she recognized him, just as he recognized her.

Instantly he was off, weaving through the crowd, trying to figure out a way to get inside. From the corner of his eye he saw the silver-haired girl also moving, heading back inside the castle. Merlin could help him, but she was on the balcony as well, out of reach and no way to contact her. There were hundreds of people there, and Meliodas and Ban had been standing in the center; he cursed under his breath as he stepped between people and groups, looking every which way for the closest doorway.

Finally he got to the edge of the crowd, and after a brief negotiation with a guard was allowed inside. But now where? He took off in a run, hurrying down the corridors, but this castle had a twisting layout that left him more confused than anything. There was a roar from outside as the crowd cheered, and his heart sunk. If the ceremony ended, would he ever find that girl? Who even was she?

His lungs were tight as he ran, and somehow Meliodas ended up _outside_ again. He growled in frustration and barreled back inside, nearly knocking over a group of housemaids who were hurrying to some task. "Where is the balcony?" he gasped, and one pointed to a hallway on the right.

Shouting his thanks Meliodas took off again, still not sure where to go, but knowing he had to _get there_. Turning one last corner, he stopped at a large staircase.

At the top stood the silver-haired girl, her hand on the railing. She had also stopped, staring at him in surprise, and Meliodas' first thought was that he had never seen anyone so beautiful. Her eyes were a brilliant blue, her figure stunning under the formal dress, her skin soft and creamy, her cheeks dusted with a beautiful rosy hue.

This girl took his breath away.

His mouth went dry, not knowing what to say. Embarrassed, he rubbed his hand through his hair, sure he looked like an absolute _sight_ after running like a madman through the castle. Meliodas was glad he had decided on more formal clothing for the occasion, and he cleared his throat, straightening his jacket a bit.

Feigning confidence, he strode forward, reaching the staircase. He began to climb one side, and at the same time, the girl walked down the steps on the other, no sound except for the soft click of their shoes. Meliodas stared at her as he went higher, and he could have sworn she gave a little gasp when their eyes met again; but then hers darted away, and he began to doubt.

What was he doing? She was obviously someone important, to be on the balcony with the others. She was beautiful and young and probably scared half to death to be stalked by some unknown stranger whose hair was sticking up on end and who was sweaty and out of breath and saying nothing as he walked up the steps. Meliodas' stomach dropped, and then they passed one another, neither saying a word, both of their eyes on the ground.

He reached the top, and stopped. The corridor before him was empty: as empty as he had been all these weeks and months, and somehow he knew that if he did not seize this moment, he would regret it forever. Her footsteps behind him told him she was still walking down the stairs, so he turned and shouted, "Excuse me!"

The girl froze, her silver hair swinging as she went still. Meliodas heard her breath catch, so he screwed his courage and called down, "Haven't we—I mean, haven't I—have we met? Somewhere?"

She did not turn around, instead bringing her hands together to wring her fingers; then one reached up and slid over the bead that dangled from her ear.

Whether it was a second or an eternity, Meliodas could never say for sure. But then she turned, and he blinked. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but her eyes were bright with joy, and she smiled at him, the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. "I thought so too," she answered, her voice like an angel, calling to his heart.

Meliodas smiled, feeling a tear of his own slide down his face. He gave a little chuckle, and their eyes met again. At once the feeling that he had been looking for was his—this feeling of being _found_ , of no longer searching, but the search being over.

"Can I ask your name?" they both said at the same time.

* * *

 **A/N:** I both love and hate coming to the end of a story. But this is the end, and I must thank you all for reading. This fic meant a great deal to me to write and to share with you, and I truly hope you enjoyed it. And if you haven't watched _Kimi No Na Wa_ yet, go do that! Let me know what you thought of this interpretation. I also want to note that all the quotes were lyrics from the soundtrack by RADWIMPS. I encourage you to give it a listen; the songs are beautiful and somehow just work for Meliodas and Elizabeth.

This is the end of this story, but not for Meliodas and Elizabeth. I'm considering a sequel that's an original work... what do you think? And this is not the end of me either; I'll be publishing a brand new fic in a couple of weeks.

Finally I must give my most deepest love and thanks to TheGreatLlamaFish. She was with me every step of creating this story, and she made the most incredible art for it. You are a wonderful and talented friend, and I'm so happy that we had the chance to do this together!


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